I Will Repay You
by Chasing Aspirations
Summary: Adopted From KennyIsOrange! When Sam Evans was 6 his life was saved by Kurt Hummel, and he is yet to repay him. Now that Sam is moving back to Lima, he plans on doing so... but nothing in life is ever that simple. Eventual Sam/Kurt.
1. I'm Sorry

**Full Summary: When Sam Evans was 6 his life was saved by Kurt Hummel, and he is yet to repay him. So now that Sam is moving back to Lima, he plans on doing so. Sadly Kurt doesn't recognize him, or even remembers saving Sam. Sam plans on paying Kurt back, no matter what.**

**A/N: The first few chapters aren't mine! They belong to the incredibly talented KennyIsOrange who has allowed me to adopt her fanfic! I hope I do it the justice it deserves. Enjoy! Chasing Aspirations xxx**

Sam Evans was just your ordinary 6 year old. Short, cute, and usually dirty. He somehow managed to get his face and body dirty, but not his hair, it just stayed in its glorious beach blonde colour throughout the days. When he was born he had the most gorgeous blue eyes, his mother worried that when he got older, they'd fade to brown as all baby's eyes are blue when they are born. Much to her enjoyment, they stayed, maybe even got bluer. He wore superman shirts and jeans with rips in the knees from when he fell while playing backyard football with the neighbourhood boys. Well except for Kurt Hummel, of course. Even as a child, Kurt was just as clean and fabulous.

One day on the summer of 2000, when the boys in Sam's neighbourhood were all at least 6, Sam and Kurt interacted for the first time. Sam had wandered away from his friends, who were fighting loudly, and was playing in the grassy yard outside his house. He sat in the grass, and looked at insects with a smile on his face. He paid no attention to the boy across the road that was looking at him.

Kurt sat on his front step, just staring into space. He thought about how his poor mother was sick, and his father, who was taking it horribly. Then he saw the neighbour kid in his yard. He began to study his behaviour. Kurt always wished he could act like other boys did. Sam suddenly got up, and Kurt continued to watch curiously. Sam had spotted a frog in the road; he began to walk towards it. He didn't want the frog to get hit by a car, so he went to rescue it. Not pausing to look both ways he began to walk toward the frog.

Old Mr. Scott and his big Hummer. He was hated by all the neighbourhood parents. He always sped down the street, his cigar lit and empty beer cans spread throughout the car. He played his music awfully loud, and sung horribly along at points. He was not paying attention as he sped home on this day, when Sam went to rescue his frog.

Kurt stood up as he watched Sam walk towards the middle of the road. He turned to see a big yellow Hummer speeding toward Sam. Quickly Kurt ran to the edge of his yard, where the road started. He screamed out, "SAM! CAR!" and directed a finger towards Mr. Scott. Sam went wide eyed, he froze on the spot, crouching down for the frog. Kurt sighed impatiently and ran towards him, grabbing his arm and pulling towards his yard.

Sam and Kurt lay on Kurt's yard, looking towards the road. They watched as Mr. Scott drove by, the frog hopping away unharmed. Kurt kept his hand wrapped tightly around Sam's arm, "You okay?"

Sam hesitantly nodded, his face still shocked and scared. He turned towards the smaller boy and hugged him. Kurt blushed deeply, and hugged back.

"You saved my life"

"Oh, I um I guess I did"

"I'm sorry"

Kurt stared at the boy, had he just apologized? For what?

"Why" Kurt giggled nervously.

"I don't think I could ever repay you, so I'm sorry"

Kurt smiled, he was sweet.

"You don't need to repay me…"

"Dude, you saved my life, I need to repay you."

Kurt laughed nervously, "Don't worry, seriously. I don't want you to feel like you need to pay me back your whole life."

Sam smiled. He hugged Kurt once more before going back to his house.

He would one day repay Kurt Hummel, whether he liked it or not.

**A/N: I will post the rest of the chapters by KennyIsOrange and will hopefully also post my first two chapters in this fanfic today! Hope you like them! Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	2. More of the Past

**Ok, now keep in mind this is very AU. So don't try to connect it to the episodes (though I may make references to the episodes like his dating of Quinn (and his hair). **

**P.S. oh I forgot, I read that Ryan Murphy said Sam/Kurt definitely won't happen, but as I stated before, I DON'T CARE! He said Idina definitely wouldn't be Rachel's mom but she was. Also I don't actually care, I mean people still write Kurt/Finn and they are almost brothers on the show now.**

**Ok now you shall read.**

**A/N: The above (comments) and the below (chapter) belong to KennyIsOrange and Glee. And Glee is not mine (no matter how much I want it to be).**

1 YEAR AFTER KURT SAVED SAM'S LIFE (2001)

They didn't talk much after Kurt had saved his life, mostly because Kurt spent most days spending time his mother, Grace, who was pale and wasting away. She still managed to smile when the Evans came over to say a final goodbye (though they wouldn't admit it, that's what they did).

The Evans walked hesitantly into the room that Burt lead them to. Inside Grace and Kurt, who was sitting cross-legged on her bed, watched _The Sound of Music_ and sang along to _Favourite Things._ Burt chuckled sadly at the image before clearing his throat to announce the Evans arrival. Kurt blushed and got off to greet them. He and Sam awkwardly said hello as the adults conversed.

"I haven't paid you back yet…"

Kurt groaned, he had been trying to convince his that he didn't have to every time he brought it up.

"You really don't have to!"

"Yes I do, need I remind you that you kinda saved my life?"

They whispered argued for a little, until finally the Evans turned to grab Sam and leave. While leaving Sam looked back to Kurt, and gave him a look. Kurt knew this wasn't finished.

1 YEAR AFTER THAT (2002)

Kurt was shocked when he looked out his front window to see the Evans pasting a SOLD sign over a FOR SALE sign in front of their house. Kurt had been spending a lot of time with his mom, but had he been _that_ out of touch?

Kurt went to sit outside on his front step. He saw Sam sitting on his front porch, obviously upset, but not crying. Sam looked up and immediately went over to talk to Kurt. Kurt sighed as Sam crossed the road, not looking both ways. The blonde took a seat next to Kurt.

"You moving?" Kurt asked.

"Yea" he sighed deeply.

"When?"

"Soon," sigh "too soon"

"I'm sure you'll do fine in…"

"New Jersey…"

"Seriously?" Kurt grimaced "Pretty far.."

"Yea"

They sat silently for a little. Sam broke said silence.

"I still gotta repay you…"

"Gesh! Can't you forget about that?" Kurt seriously hated it.

"You kinda saved my life….hard to forget"

Kurt blushed, Sam chuckled.

"So" Sam asked "How's your mom?"

Kurt sulked "They say she's got a month…"

Sam pulled him into a side hug. The type of thing that would be awkward….but it wasn't.

Kurt leans into the hug, and they sit for a little in more silence. Then they hear a little yell. They look up to see the source: Sam's mom from the Evans' porch.

Sam gets up and says goodbye to Kurt by pulling him into a real hug.

"Bye" Kurt mutters.

"I will repay you, mark my words"

Kurt rolls his eyes and waves goodbye.

"Oh, Sam!" Sam turns to Kurt; he hadn't even left the yard "Look both ways"

Sam smiles. He does just so before walking back to his house and entering through his door. Kurt turns and goes back to his mother with a smile on his face.

1 MONTH LATER (2002)

Grace Hummel was dead.

Burt called the neighbours in tears, asking if they wanted to come to the funeral. He invited the Evans' as well.

Kurt had been rented a little tuxedo. He walked hand-in-hand with his father to her potential grave stop. His father was trying to stop blubbering, but was failing miserably. Kurt wasn't crying.

Kurt understood, he knew she was gone. Everyone assumed that he didn't understand or he would cry later or something, but he knew. He also knew that where ever his mother was now, she'd be happy. Burt didn't know, but she had told Kurt not to cry.

_FLASHBACK_

_"Kurt," Grace coughed weakly. Kurt took hold of her pale and feeble hand._

_"Yes momma?"_

_She smiled weakly "You do understand what is happening, right?"_

_Kurt hesitated, "Yes, the doctors say you will die" he sniffled._

_"Yes, I probably will, and I need you to do something when it happens,"_

_Kurt nodded to show he was listening._

_"You mustn't cry when I am gone"_

_He tilted his head in curiosity._

_"It will only make your father more upset to see you sad"_

_He nodded knowingly._

_"But, also because, when I die I will go somewhere magical and nice. I will be eternally happy."_

_He smiled at the thought. She smiled at his smile. She then summoned him back to his spot lying next to her, they began watching the Wizard of Oz once more._

_FLASHFORWARD_

So, as she asked, he did no such thing.

Sam watched Kurt curiously. He couldn't imagine why and 8 year old wouldn't cry when he's lost his beloved mother forever. He didn't ask. He grinned as Kurt was put up at a podium in order to share fond memories of his mother before she was put into the ground.

After the funeral Sam was grabbed by his mother, who pulled his quickly to the car. Sam didn't get to talk to Kurt, to remind him about his debt. He sighed deeply as they travelled back to New Jersey.

**A/N: Hope you liked it (make sure to let KennyIsOrange know if you did!). Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	3. Even MORE of Said Past

**A/N: Don't own Glee (would Kurt really still be single if I did? In the words of Mercedes 'Hell No!' :D). Don't own this chapter (or the next or the one after that, but the rest will be mine!). Enjoy! Chasing Aspirations xxx**

1 YEAR AFTER SAM MOVED (2003)

Kurt awkwardly inched out of his house and away from his crying father. Kurt really cared about him, but it was hard not to cry when his father wouldn't stop! He sat on his front porch and began to peacefully read his Harry Potter book. His mother had adored them, and had left him all 4 books, and he intended to get the fifth when it was set to come out next month.

He got to the next chapter before putting it down and beginning to walk. He couldn't concentrate on the book. Doing his best not to cry, he walked around outside.  
He began to tear up as he approached the spot where he saved Sam. He then broke into heavy sobs. He told himself over and over again that he was crying at the memory of Sam and the fact that his only friend had moved, but he knew he wasn't. He was crying about his mother and the fact that Sam had moved just fuelled his tears.  
After calming down he began to walk back to his house, and he was greeted by his father wallowing in his misery...still. He walked over and began to comfort him

1 YEAR LATER (2004)

Kurt entered his 5th grade classroom full of screaming kids, entirely dressed in black. He wore a black turtleneck that had sleeve just long enough to cover his hands, and black skinny jeans with his trusty pair of black converse. He looked far too vulnerable to be himself. He bit his lip and sat in his seat next to Finn Hudson. Finn sat with a goofy smile on his face, wearing a blue hoodie and some ripped jeans, talking to Noah Puckerman, sporting a red jacket that showed his orange shirt underneath, and some shorts. He still rocked his infamous mohawk. Kurt instantly stuck his nose into a book, not wanting to look nor talk to anyone, he was far too depressed to do so today. For exactly 2 years ago, Grace Hummel had died.

"Hey Kurt!"

Kurt turned towards the loud, and extremely too happy voice, of Finn.

"Hello..."

He glared at Finn, attempting to scare him and make him not want to talk to Kurt.

"You seem upset."

Kurt continued to death-glare Finn, who showed no sign of backing off. His eye twitched as he began to get angry. He quickly told himself to stay calm, don't shout, don't cry.

"Well, if you must know..." Kurt sniffled for dramatic effect "My mother died two years ago exactly, and I happen to be sad about it."

Finn's face instantly fell.

"Oh, man I'm sorry, I know how you feel. My-"

Kurt didn't want to hear yet another person tell him that they "knew how he felt, because their hamster died 5 years ago..."

"Look, you probably don't get it so can you back off?"

Finn was shocked at Kurt's snap, but still said.

"Look, my dad died when I was a baby, I didn't even get to know him."

Kurt bit his lip uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry about that, but it was probably better then knowing your dad for 7 years, and loving and caring about him, then having him die."

As if on cue the bell rang and Kurt stormed out of there to his Math class, leaving Finn dazed and confused.

Upon arriving at his Math class, Kurt felt tears pushing out. He sat at his desk for a little, debating whether to do something or just stay. Finally he got up and asked the teacher to go the the bathroom. She gave him a sympathetic smile and said ok, and whispered for him to stay as long as he liked as he left.

As Kurt cried in the stall, he began to remember Sam. He knew if Sam were here today he'd comfort Kurt. But he wasn't, and for that, Kurt was angry at him.

He knew it wasn't Sam's fault, that the boy hadn't even wanted to move. But Kurt needed someone to blame, and Sam was just there for that.

1 YEAR LATER (2005)

In 7th grade, Kurt began acting _really_ outlandish. He knew his mother would want him to look nice so, with the small fortune she left him, and with the money his father made at the garage, he began to purchase beautiful designer clothes. Any other odd things were due to the fact that he was troubling with his sexual preferences,

Girls were nice, they were certainly cleaner and more mature than the boys in 7th grade, but Kurt still felt more attracted to the opposite sex. He dated a girl named Katie, who was best friends with Finn's girlfriend Emily. That forced Kurt and Finn to be together a lot. Kurt knew he enjoyed being with Finn, then he did with Katie. That was precisely why they broke up.

_FLASHBACK_

_"Kurt come sit with me on my bed."_

_He did so, and she spoke once more._

_"We have to talk"_

_This never ends well in well, not like I liked her that much._

_"How come you look happier when we're with Emily and Finn, then when we're alone?"_

_He bit his lip and tried to think of an excuse, before he could she interrupted._

_"See! So what's wrong?"_

_Suddenly she gasped._

_"YOU LIKE EMILY DON'T YOU?"_

_Kurt waved his hands and shook his head no._

_"Oh ok...good"_

_She breathed then gasped once more._

_"So what do you like Finn" she chuckled at her joke as Kurt blushed deeply._

_"OMG You do!"_

_Then she gasped again._

_"I dated a gay person?"_

_He looked upset._

_"Oh nothing against you...but does that mean I look like a dude?"_

_He shook his head._

_"You're beautiful, trust me. Any guy would be lucky to have you...I'm just too fucked up to see that."_

_He hit his head, and Katie gasped AGAIN._

_"Don't do that! There is nothing wrong with you!" she grabbed his arm and pinned it down on the bed. "You are awesome! And you will find a guy that likes you."_

_He smiled. Katie then became his best friend._

_FLASHFORWARD_

2 YEAR LATER (2007)

Kurt hugged his best friend in tears.

Why oh why did _all_ his best friends move?

Katie walked on to her plane and flew away, Kurt sat in tears at the Airport for the whole day. Finally he went home after a security guard threatened him.

The next day in school, he walked through the halls alone. The fact that he had just begun High School, didn't help. When he walked home alone that day, he was pelted with water balloons by the entire football team. Even guys he knew, and he thought liked him Matt, Mike, Noah, and Finn, his crush. As they left someone shouted "FAG!" and Finn gave him an apologetic smile. That was all that Kurt could think of as he washed the "water" off ("What's that smell? Is-is that piss? They pelted me with pee balloons? What the hell!). All throughout his high school life, that's all that happened to Kurt. He was tortured but at the end he always got a small smile from Finn, and that was all he had needed to do to fuel Kurt's crush.

**A/N: Hope you liked it! Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	4. Present Time

**A/N: KennyIsOrange wrote this chapter. It is not mine. Neither is Glee, or Chris, or Chord, or... I think I'll stop now before I depress myself too much! Enjoy! Chasing Aspirations xxx**

PRESENT TIME

"Hey Kurt!" Quinn bounced up to Kurt, who was soon joined by Mercedes.

"Hey Quinny, 'Cedes"

They smiled at Kurt and they began walking down the hall.

Ever since they returned Kurt had only gotten slushied once, he was beginning to believe they _finally_ removed the machine.

Or it could be because he was hanging out with the hottest girl in school and no one would do anything bad with her around.

Though Quinn didn't rejoin the Cheerios, she was still very popular, because as I said she was the hottest girl in school. Also because she had direct contact with the Cheerios, and everyone in school was afraid of coach Sylvester.

"So did you see the cute new guy?"

Kurt rolled his eyes at Quinn.

"Oh yea! You mean that one who is totally straight and is probably already soiled with rumours about me "spreading the gay"?"

Mercedes giggled at the sarcasm and Quinn stuck her tongue out at him. They soon arrived in the Glee room. They sat in their normal seats, as did everyone else. Kurt sat in the middle surrounded by his girls. Mercedes, next to him; Quinn, to his left; Santana and Brittany, in front of him; and Tina behind him with Mike acting all over affectionate. Artie rolled in front of Quinn sadly; she put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Finn and Rachel were dead centre in the front row and talking, or rather, Rachel was lecturing and Finn was zoning out. Puck sat next to Quinn, attempting to get a laugh out of her. I believe he thought if he could make her laugh it meant that those 9 months and at least 1 hour of child labour were forgotten. .

"OK guys" Mr. Schue walks in and everyone silences "I got us a thirteenth member!"

"Last time you said that she moved the Vocal Adrenaline" Mr. Schue glared at Kurt's comment before motioning the new boy in.

Kurt gasped quietly. He recognized the boy from somewhere. Quinn nudged him and raised her eyebrows in amusement. She thought his gasp was due to the fact that the boy was slightly beautiful. It kind of was. His beach blonde hair just grazing his eyes, which were a deep ocean blue.

"Hi, I'm Sam….Sam I am. And I don't like green eggs and ham"

Kurt felt himself giggling stupidly, he tried to stop or at least cover it up.

"Dude, your mouth is huge… how many tennis balls can you fit in there?"

Quinn lightly hit Puck on the back of the head. Sam just chuckled.

His mouth was big, but it looked more attractive to Kurt.

_Imagine what he can do with that_…

Kurt shook the thought out of his head.

_NO! Bad Kurt, his probably straight anyways._

_But that doesn't mean anything, you're allowed to like guys who you can't have, people do it all the time._

_Yea but remember what happened with Finn!_

While Kurt was busy fighting with himself, he took no notice when Sam began to sing; apparently Mr. Schue demanded that he do so.

**Yesterday**

Kurt felt his heart melt.

_There goes not falling for another straight guy…_

Kurt continued to listen with glee (no pun indented).

**All my troubles seemed so far away**

**Now it looks as though they're here to stay**

**Oh believe in yesterday**

**Suddenly**

**I'm not half the man I used to be**

**There's a shadow hanging over me**

**Oh yesterday, came suddenly**

**Why she**

**Had to go I don't know**

**She wouldn't say**

**I said**

**Something wrong no I long**

**For yesterday**

**Yesterday**

**Love was such an easy game to play**

**Now I need a place to hide away**

**Oh I believe in yesterday**

Everyone clapped loudly and Sam felt a blush creep onto his face.

He walked over and took a seat behind Kurt, next to Mike and Tina, who were cuddling. He looked rather awkward by them but alas there were no more seats unless he wanted to sit by the Brunette chick, but she scared him.

"Ok, Sam" Mr. Schue yelled "This is Rachel, Finn, Artie, Santana, Brittany, Mercedes, Kurt, Puck, Quinn, Tina, and Mike." They all waved as he pointed to them, "Welcome to New Directions!"

AFTERWARDS

Rachel left practice practically exploding with new ideas, thank god she had Finn or others would be forced to listen.

"OK guys remember tomorrow we are starting our weekly assignment!"

Mr. Schue managed to yell it out to the ones who left immediately. Kurt and Mercedes took their time packing up their items with care. Then they left bidding Quinn adieu.

Kurt parted with Mercedes and sprinted towards his car. Though the jocks stopped slushying him, they might still do something after school.

Much to his dislike he felt his arms being grabbed by two pairs of stronger ones. Most people would be scared by this, but Kurt just rolled his eyes and allowed himself to be dragged.

"Thought we'd forget about you, didn't you _fag_?" they pronounced the word with acid, hitting Kurt right in his large self-esteem.

Kurt managed to identify his attackers. Just Azimio and Karofsky again. He saw two more ugly football players waiting by the dumpster. He was hoisted up into the air when he heard a yell.

"Hey guys, what's, uhh, what's going on?"

Sam had walked over to the dumpster. They put Kurt down but still held him there firmly.

"Just showing the _fag_ where he belongs"

He spit the word fag out at Kurt's face. Kurt remained emotionless.

"Now why would he belong there?"

Sam tilted his head in fake curiosity. Kurt knew what he was doing, and he didn't like it. The last thing he wanted was to have Sam defend him; he didn't want more reasons to like him. Kurt attempted to tell him with facial expressions that he shouldn't do it but Sam paid no attention.

"Because he's trash!" Azimio said as if it were obvious.

"You guys are being way too subtle!"

Kurt felt his eyes go wide. Maybe he…didn't know what Sam was doing.

"At my old school the, the fags were treated way worse than a few slushies to the face and a throw in the dumpster." he stumbled slightly over the word fag.

"Oh, how so?"

"Well, I'm not allowed to tell you, but if you give me the, uh, fairy here I could gladly do it myself."

"How do we know you will?"

"Oh, you'll be able to tell when I'm done with him."

Thinking intently, Karofsky handed Kurt off to Sam.

Sam guided Kurt away and he heard Sam whisper in his ear.

"Look when we get into the supply closet I'm taking you to, I need you to scream okay?"

Kurt looked at him curiously.

"What? I don't want to hurt you. Just be theatrical."

Kurt nodded as they got into the closet. Sam began banging on some things while Kurt screamed and 'begged him to stop'

"Now when we get out , put this on" he brought a sweat jacket out of his bag "and hide yourself but tremble and whimper as you walk by, and I'll tell them you've had enough for one day if they try to attack you."

Kurt smiled at Sam.

"Thanks…"

"No problem"

Sam smiled back.

_Yea, I definitely won't be falling for any straight guys this year._

**A/N: This was the last chapter written by KennyIsOrange before Blaine came along with 'Teenage Dream' and stole all of our hearts! The next chapter will be mine! Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	5. Duets

**A/N: Sorry for the mistake I made in the A/N in the last chapter! This chapter is not mine either! After this they all will be though (I've made sure I've gotten it right this time :D). **

**Disclaimer: Glee never has, isn't and never will be mine. You have no idea how hard that was to say!**

**With no further ado, KennyIsOrange's last chapter! Enjoy! Chasing Aspirations xxx**

Kurt sighed dreamily as he got into his car, snuggling Sam's hoodie. It was royal blue with a gold 'EVANS' on the back. Upon getting home he sprinted to his bedroom and hid the hoodie under his millions of pillows. As crazy and creepy as that sounds, Kurt just wanted to be able to remember him, because he knew he could never have him. Kurt still couldn't remember how he knew him though…

Sam happily walked home ignoring the cold air biting his skin. He finally felt at ease.

Ever since he last saw Kurt at his mother's funeral, he kept reminding himself about his life debt to Kurt. He knew Kurt hated it but he had to repay him. So when he saw Kurt about to get thrown into a dumpster, he knew it was a perfect time to do so. But he still didn't feel very satisfied, and he was sure Kurt didn't actually know who he was. Maybe if he reminded him about their thing, he'd feel better.

The next day at school, Kurt hesitantly made his way by the dumpster, seeing no jocks in sight. He smiled as he made it into the school without getting trash on him. He grinned bigger as he walked up to Sam to thank him again.

"Hey, I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am from yesterday…"

Sam grinned "No biggy, I owed you anyway."

Kurt raised an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side.

"You don't remember?"

Kurt shook his head.

"When I was like 6 I lived across the street from you, and you saved my life."

Kurt felt his eyes widen. He was _that_ Sam? He knew he had recognized him. Kurt felt his crush grow even bigger; he had had a crush on Sam ever since they last saw each other at the funeral. The brunette knew what he had to do.

"I don't remember, sorry…"

"That's weird…"

Kurt could feel awkwardness oozing out of every spot of this conversation. Then they were saved by the bell. Kurt waved and rushed off to class.

"Wait, why didn't you tell him you knew who he was?"

Kurt had told Mercedes and Quinn everything. Now Quinn was questioning.

"I mean you could have had a connection!"

"Quinn if I did that then… he would… um"

"You don't even have a reason!"

"Look, stop bothering me about it! I'm not telling him."

Quinn flinched at Kurt's snap.

"I'm sorry Quinny…"

Quinn sighed then smiled. She made up and excuse to leave then did so.

"Hello Sam, I'm Rachel."

Sam stared at the hand extended towards him before hesitantly accepting it into a handshake.

"I would like to talk to you about our Glee assignment this week" she gave him a creepy winning smile.

"Mr. Schue hasn't even announced what it was yet…"

"Oh, but I know for a fact that it is duets… Mr. Schue, uh, he told me."

_FLASHBACK_

_"Mr. Schue, what's our assignment this week?_

_"I'm not telling you Rachel."_

_He continued cleaning his office that had been invaded by the brunette._

_"But I want to be prepared."_

_"You'll have a week to do it when I give it to you."_

_"That's not nearly enough time!"_

_"Rachel if I give you the assignment early, will you stop bothering me?"_

_He finally cracked, Rachel smirked and nodded sweetly._

_"Duets, now leave."_

_He opened the door and she left._

_FLASHFORWARD_

"Ok…"

"So would you like to be my partner?"

"Um, aren't you like dating Finn?"

"Yes, he and Finn will be together forever. I am confident enough in our relationship that I think he can last one assignment without me, and besides I know you are rather talented, singing with me could create a beautiful sound and we could win the prize!"

"There's a prize?"

"Yes, Mr. Schue told me that too…"

_FLASHBACK_

_"I told to you to stop bothering me Rachel!"_

_"But I just want to know what happens if we win the duets competition!"_

_"Who told you it was a competition?"_

_"Come on, Mr. Schue, I know you by now."_

_"FINE! But you aren't allowed to bother me for a week after I tell you!"_

_Rachel grinned widely._

_"You get a free dinner at Breadstix"_

_He guided her out the door then locked it._

_FLASHFORWARD_

"What's Breadstix?"

"It's only the best restaurant in town!"

"It's the only restaurant in town." Puck walked by the pair commenting on their conversation.

Rachel glared at Puck's figure that was already too far away to hear her response.

"Well, what do you think?" she grinned again.

"Uh, Finn was like my first friend here, and I don't wanna mess that up by doing this. You should do yours with Finn."

He looked around and spotted Finn, he grabbed Rachel by the shoulders and turned her towards him and gave her a little push.

Glaring, she started walking toward Finn.

"You'll regret this Evans…"

Sam sighed in relief.

"OK EVERYONE!" Mr. Schue's extremely too excited voice came from the doorway, next came him.

"Our assignment this week is-"

"DUETS!"

Half the club exploded. Rachel felt herself go a deep red shade.

Glaring at Rachel, Mr. Schue turned to write 'DUETS' on his white board.

"Well I was going to let you choose your own partners but instead…" he went and grabbed the Hat of Fate.

"And you can all thank your little friend Rachel here for that."

The Glee club all turned to glare at her.

"Ok first up Quinn!"

Quinn made her way up to the Hat, and Finn, who magically appeared behind the drum set, did a drum roll.

"Rachel"

Quinn groaned and went to sit back in her seat. Rachel gave her some sort of a grin.

"Sit next to your partner"

"Mr. Schue why are you torturing _me_?"

He just pointed to the empty seat by Rachel.

"Mercedes"

"Noah…"

Puck picked his bag up off his seat shrugging.

"Brittany"

"Mike"

Tina got up and walked up to the hat, allowing Brittany to sit by her boyfriend.

Tina went pale as she picked her name out.

"Mr. Schue, can I pick again?"

"No Tina, sing with your first picked partner."

"Artie…"

Artie went paler, "Mr. Schue could he pick again?"

"No!"

Tina awkwardly sat in the chair behind Artie.

"Santana"

"Finn…"

Santana awkwardly sat next to Finn. It was weird to sit next to the guy you've slept with, especially when he wasn't satisfied.

"And Kurt has Sam"

Kurt mentally face-palmed himself. Damn Mr. Schue, every single time he chooses randomly, Kurt ends up with the guy he loves.

"Now, to make this even more complicated on you, I have decided that we will all do a particular artist."

"Mr. Schue haven't you tortured us enough?"

"No, Quinn, Rachel hasn't learned her lesson yet."

Rachel lowered her head in shame, vowing to never mess with Mr. Schue again.

"Our artist will be…"

He went to the white board and wrote 'KATY PERRY' under 'DUETS'.

"Katy Perry!"

There were some shouts of happiness, followed by some groans, and even a "she's hot" from Finn or Puck or both even...

"Now, get started, you got 5 minutes before Glee ends"

**I wrote hoodie and MW tried to corrected it as goodies. 'Kurt sighed dreamily as he got into his car, snuggling Sam's goodies.' O.o**

**A/N: Had to leave that comment by KennyIsOrange there just because it made me laugh! Again, sorry about the typo/mistake in the last chapter! This chapter is not mine. The next chapter, however, is where my own 'creativity' begins. Let's hope I can live up to this! Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	6. Cell Phone Numbers

**Disclaimer: Glee is not mine? I refuse to believe that! Wait... Sam's dating Quinn? Yeah you're right! It can't be mine. I'd never let that happen (not that I don't love Quinn! Seriously she's awesome!).**

**A/N: Hi everyone! This is my first chapter in this fanfic! I really hope I manage to do this story justice! Again many thanks to **_**KennyIsOrange **_**for letting me adopt this story. It means a lot to me! Thanks!**

**Let me know what you think of this and the next chapter! I'd love to hear your feedback! Good? Bad? Ok? Let me know! I might even give you some hints to what may happen in the future of this fanfic if you ask nicely :D Enjoy! Chasing Aspirations xxx**

Sam felt a sudden rush of nerves as he approached the part of the choir room where Kurt, his saviour, sat. He had always felt incredibly grateful to the stylish counter tenor, not just for saving his life (although that had been a huge part of the reason for his gratitude) but also for being a real friend, probably his only real friend.

Now, Sam was by no means unpopular. He'd always strived hard to 'fit in' and be one of the 'popular crowd', but being popular didn't mean having friends. If anything it just made Sam even more alone. He'd always lived his life surrounded by large groups of people, but none of them bothered to get to know him, not really. Most of them just assumed that he was the person he pretended to be. The jock. The footballer. None of them even considered he might not be who he pretended to be. That behind his confident persona was a scared little boy who was afraid of what would happen if he allowed himself to be who he really was.

Kurt had been the only one who'd ever looked beyond that. Who'd seen him for who he truly was, not who he pretended to be. He saw Sam. Not Evans the quarterback, Evans the jock, Evans the popular kid, but Sam the guy who liked to sing and dance (although he felt he could do with a bit more practice for the later of the two). Sam who secretly hated football (not because of the sport itself, he loved that part, but because of the fact that with football came expectations and jerks like Azimo and Karofsky who he was meant to befriend or at least to pretend to like. And he _hated_ pretending to agree with those meatheads, especially when it came to Kurt.) Sam who only worked out so much because he had serious self-esteem issues when it came to his body. Sam the guy who had been friends with Kurt Hummel. Sam who had cried for months after leaving because he missed Kurt so much. Sam... The guy who was fairly convinced that he'd fallen in love with Kurt Hummel the day he saved his life.

Hence his nerves as he approached the brunet who looked slightly worried himself. This did nothing to calm the jocks nerves as he took a seat next to the diva. Did Kurt not want to work with Sam? Was he afraid that Sam was secretly like all of the other jocks that went here? But that couldn't be it. Kurt said he'd been grateful for what Sam had done. He wouldn't have said that if he thought I was planning something. But what else could it be? Could it be that Kurt had realised how he felt and felt awkward because his feelings were unrequited? Sam desperately hoped this wasn't the case and stayed quiet for a moment trying to calm the feelings of unease and panic that had suddenly risen at the thought of Kurt rejecting him.

The two sat in an awkward silence as they both fought to calm their emotions. Scattered around the room, the other duet pairs were all already in heated discussions... some more heated than others. While Mike was patiently trying to explain the assignment to Brittany as she stared off into space and both Santana and Finn and Artie and Tina seemed to be having extremely awkward and strained conversations about the assignment, Mercedes and Puck were practically yelling at each other over whose ideas were better and Quinn and Rachel seemed to have actually started fighting, practically screaming at each other as Will attempted to calm the two down. Kurt rolled his eyes at Rachel's dramatics before offering a small smile to Sam that the blonde couldn't help but return.

'So, any ideas on what we should do for this duets thing? Erm, I don't really know much Katy Perry so I won't really be much help when it comes to song choices. Sorry dude.'

Kurt smiled widened slightly at Sam's words before replying 'I wouldn't expect you to. I don't think she'd really be you style. Still, she's an incredibly talented performer. Her songs are always very expressive and often controversial. The emotional connections she makes with her music allows...'

Sam zoned out slightly as Kurt began to explain the merits of Katy Perry and why she was such a huge musical icon and instead chose to focus on the sound of his voice. It was a relief to hear this voice again after so many years when at one point Sam had believed that he would never hear it again.

Over the years he had often considered trying to get in touch with the boy in front of him, he'd even searched for the Hummel's new number so that he would be able to contact him. However, a part of Sam had stopped him from ever making the call. It was this same part of Sam that was currently screaming at Sam to get up and run as far away from Kurt Hummel as possible. The part of Sam that made him want to curl up under his covers and cry every night he'd spent apart from Kurt. The part of Sam that was terrified of spending more time with Kurt, afraid of falling further in love only to become heartbroken.

After all, why would Kurt ever care for him? Kurt was so brave, so strong. He'd always been a hero in Sam's eyes since the day they'd met. He'd saved Sam's life. He always acted as if he didn't care what other people thought of him. Choosing to remain true to who he was in a society who rejected him. Hell, he was out and proud in Lima Ohio. If that wasn't bravery, then what was? Sam wasn't worthy of someone like him. He couldn't even find the courage to come out to his parents. For years he wouldn't even admit it to himself. Yes, Kurt deserved better. But that wouldn't stop Sam from trying to prove himself to Kurt. He'd already lost his friend once and he certainly didn't intend to lose him again if he could help it!

Sam was returned to reality at the sound of Mr Shue dismissing the club, telling them that the first of the performances would take place at the next meeting. At these words, Quinn, Rachel, Santana, Finn and Tina all rushed out of the room, desperate to escape the awkwardness and tension that the assignment was causing. The rest of the group slowly followed, Mercedes and Puck still debating over ideas, their voices slowly getting louder and louder as they argued their cases. Kurt turned to Sam offering him another smile before asking for his phone. Confused the blonde handed it over and watched as Kurt programmed his number into the phone's memory.

'You'll need this so we can meet up for song selections and practises. I'll warn you now not to expect much free time over the next week. We will win this! Trust me with your impressive voice and my own superior vocal skills, there's no way anyone else in this club even has a chance of beating us! We need to organise a rehearsal schedule to make sure it won't clash with football or cheerio's practise. Sue would shave my head if I missed practise and I really don't want to mess with the new football coach either. From what I've heard she's almost as bad as Sue and there is no way I'm letting either of them near my hair.' The brunette unconsciously ran a hand nervously though his hair and Sam fought back the urge to laugh a little at how cute that action was.

He watched as the brunette grabbed his bag and began to exit the room. Just before he reached the doorway, Kurt turned giving a small smile. 'Call me.' And with that the counter tenor winked and left the room leaving Sam in shock.

Did Kurt really just wink at him? Did that mean he had a chance? Sam looked down at his phone and flicked through the contacts until he saw Kurt's number. His face broke into a huge grin as he noted the little x Kurt has put beside his name. Slipping the phone back into his pocket, Sam began to leave the music room, thanking Mr Shue and the hat of fate for giving him the chance to get to know Kurt again.

That night Sam drove home with a huge smile on his face which stayed there for the rest of the evening, even as he lay in bed, his thoughts continued to race. All he could think of was Kurt. His voice, his smile, that wink... What did it all mean? Sam could only hope that it meant he had a chance. Before he drifted off he pulled out his phone and scrolled through the contacts until he reached Kurt's name. Allowing his smile to grow impossibly wider, he selected the name before typing a quick message and allowing sleep to finally take hold of him.

Kurt had similar difficulties sleeping as he continued to berate himself for his actions. Why did I have to wink at him? What was I thinking? He's probably straight after all. I've probably freaked him out now. What's wrong with me? He was probably one of the few straight guys at this school who was willing to actually be my friend and now I've scared him away because of my ability to ignore the sexuality of the people I fall for. Falling for undeniably straight men who will never return my feelings and developing hopeless stalker like crushes that can only end in disaster. Kurt eyes welled up a bit at the thought of the 'moist towlette incident' with Finn last year. Yeah he told Finn he'd forgiven him, and it was true he had to some extent. But the pain of hearing those words from him, he didn't want the same to happen again. He didn't think he'd be able to cope with it. Mentally resolving to tone the flirting down, the brunette shut his eyes willing himself to fall asleep.

Next to him, he felt his phone vibrate. Assuming it was Mercedes; Kurt pulled the phone out of his messenger bag and glanced at the screen. UNKNOWN NUMBER. Confused but slightly curious, Kurt opened the message.

_Hey Kurt,_

_Here is my no. Mayb we shd meet up 2mrw to look at songs. See u then._

_Sam x_

Kurt read the message again, feeling a huge smile start to work its way onto his face. He wanted to see Kurt tomorrow. He clearly hadn't freaked the blonde out then. Did this mean he had a chance this time? The counter tenor smiled as he felt himself drift off, all of his thoughts surrounding one Sam Evans.


	7. I'm Nothing Special

**A/N: Hope you like this chapter! After this I should move on to the beginning of the duets (I will most likely spread them out over a few chapters for plots sake- You'll see what I mean when I reach those chapters :D). Let me know what you think of this! I'd love to hear your views!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing other than the chapters from chapter 6 onwards. Alas, the show, characters and the beginning of this story aren't mine. I wish they were... that would be totally awesome!**

**Enjoy! Chasing Aspirations xxx**

Kurt sat on Mercedes bed and listened as she defended her latest choice of 'fashion statement' (_"Really Cedes? It looks like someone put a zebra in a blender, dyed it pink and then made it into what I can only assume is meant to be a jacket. In short, hideous.")_. His eyes remained fixed on the feisty diva as she continued to rant but his mind drifted to a certain blond jock who he'd ended up spending almost the entire week with. It had been amazing!

The two of them had spent almost the entire week sitting on Kurt's bed discussing various song choices (well Kurt did most of the talking really. Unfortunately, much to his dismay, Sam remained clueless when it came to Katy Perry), learning the harmonies, practising the routine until it was perfect and enjoying each other's company.

As the week progressed, he'd discovered that the two of them had quite a lot in common really (if you ignored the blatantly dyed hair- Come on, there was no way that was his real hair colour! Who did Sam think he was kidding? - and his more than slightly concerning obsession with Avatar- which Kurt secretly thought was adorable... not that he'd ever admit it though).

After all, both had been on the football team at some point; _"Really? Dude that's awesome! What Position?"_

"_Kicker."_

"_Yeah I could see you being good at that. You know, you're probably the only guy I know who could be a jock and a cheerio. That's... wow."_

And they both loved to dance; _"I dunno it's like no one can judge me when I dance. Like I'm free, you know."_

"_Yeah. It's like an expression of individuality. That's what I love about Glee. Our styles are all so different. Even when we're dancing the same routine, each of us will give it our own unique 'flair'. Before Glee, dancing was a way of venting emotions. I think the first time I really allowed myself to dance for the sake of dancing was with Tina and Brittany when we danced to single ladies.'_

'_Single ladies?'_

'_I actually taught the football team that one.'_

'_You taught the football team single ladies? Now that I wish I could have seen!'_

'_You can if you want to. I still have the tape. Artie has some friends in the AV club who filmed it for me.'_

'_Awesome dude.'_

It also seemed that their years apart hadn't really changed Sam that much. It turned out he still had his own... unique sense of humour. The same humour that had caused Kurt to laugh so hard that he'd almost been in tears. The blonde had always been this way. Making Kurt feel that he could be himself around him, that he didn't need to be ashamed of who he truly was. He felt _safe_ when he was with him and even more importantly he felt _excepted_ and maybe even_ loved_... okay maybe that last one might be pushing it slightly. Still... he could dream couldn't he?

Either way, he'd never felt more comfortable than when he was with the blonde. The only thing that bothered him slightly was how Sam viewed him in this slightly glorified light. After all, throughout his childhood Sam had always been reminding Kurt of how he would 'repay his life debt' and had even once spent a couple of months calling the counter tenor his 'saviour' just to annoy him. All Kurt had even wanted was to be considered as Sam's equal not as some warped glorified version of himself. He'd always been slightly afraid that the only reason Sam had bothered to be his friend was because he'd felt obliged to because of the 'life debt' he owed the brunette. He had almost convinced himself this was the case after the years of abuse, without a single phone call from his 'friend'. He'd wondered for a long time if Sam agreed with them. If he really was _sick, wrong, disgusting, dirty, foul..._

Even now he wondered if this was all too good to be true. Some kind of elaborate plot to humiliate the 'gay boy' and break his heart... he really hoped this wasn't the case because it was far too late to stop him from falling for the jock. He was falling, and falling fast.

The time they'd spent together had only increased his infatuation for him. His smiles were so full of warmth; his eyes shone with the same youthful excitement that Kurt remembered from his childhood, his whole personality seemed to radiate warmth actually. He gave Kurt his full, undivided, attention the whole week, allowing Kurt to make digs at his wardrobe and lack of musical knowledge, to tease him about his hair and his dancing skills, all with a huge grin on his face.

The best part about the week was that the blonde actually valued the counter tenor's advice (he could remember many occasions when Rachel, Puck and even Mr Shue had shot down his suggestions without a second thought). He listened to the soprano's ideas and gave him the attention he desperately craved. He made him feel appreciated in the way that only his father, Cedes, and recently Quinn, Carole and Finn had ever made him feel. Was there really any chance that he wouldn't end up falling for the boy? It was as inevitable as Rachel's diva storm outs if she didn't get the part on the song she wanted (sure she was Finn's girlfriend now so he should probably be slightly less harsh towards her, after all Finn _was_ technically his stepbrother, but as long as she still wore those 'outfits' then the soprano could not be held responsible for his actions).

Kurt was actually grateful to the dreaded hat of fate because it had given him the chance to get to know Sam again. Even if he broke Kurt's heart, the memories of his kindness this weekend might just be worth the eventual pain. The entire week, Kurt was convinced, would be branded in his mind forever. One part of that week in particular kept running through his mind though. Something that didn't quite make sense no matter how much the diva ran through the situation in his mind;

'_Why did you move away?'_

_The blonde let out a brief sigh before replying 'I wish I could give you an answer man but, well I have no clue. Mum always said it was 'cause of work. Dad blamed her, something about getting away from something. I never really knew what. She would never tell me. She flipped out a little when I asked her. After a while, I gave up trying to understand. Then suddenly we moved back. Before you ask, I have no idea about that either. My parents don't really tell me much anymore. We all sort of, grew apart after we moved away. Mum was really weird for a while and dad? Well he was just angry. I learned to avoid them both as much as possible.'_

_His eyes filled with what the soprano guessed was regret before the cheery smile that had graced the blonde's face the entire time they'd spent together returned, however this time it didn't quite reach his eyes..._

Kurt was snapped out of his memories when he felt a sharp slap on his right arm.

'Ow Cedes. What was that for?' The girl sat down on the bed beside him rolling her eyes at the diva's predictable reaction.

'Where's your head at K? I've been talking about going shopping with Quinn this weekend and you didn't say a word. I started telling you about how cosy Britney and Mike seemed to be when I saw them at Breadsticks and... Nothing. Hell, I even threatened to burn one of your designer scarves or worse... give it to Rachel. And still no reaction. What's wrong Kurt? I haven't seen you this distracted since Fi... it's Sam isn't it! That's why you're so distracted! I'm right aren't I?'

'W-w-what? Why would you... Wait! Did you say Mike and Britney?'

'Don't change the subject Kurt! You _like_ him don't you. Come on Kurt. Don't you trust me?' She started pouting at him, causing him to laugh a little before meeting her eyes.

'Puppy dog eyes Cedes? Really? I thought you were better than that.' She just grinned in reply.

'Okay fine Cedes. Yes I like him. And yes I realise that he's most likely straight and not interested in me but yes I still like him despite that, I might even love him.' The girl's eyes widened slightly before her grin grew even wider.

'Come on K, have you seen the way he looks at you? There's no way he's not interested. And straight? That's like saying that blonde is his natural hair colour.' Kurt smiled a little at this.

'But Cedes, even if he hypothetically...' Mercedes scoffed at this '...was gay, why would he be interested in someone like me? I'm nothing special...' He was cut off as a fierce expression appeared in his best friend's eyes.

'Oh hell no Kurt! There is no way you're not special! You're one of the most amazing people I know! Your talented, funny, clever, fashionable, brave...' It was Kurt's turn to scoff. '... You _are_ brave. You're one of the bravest people I know! Not to mention you're the boy that all of us Glee girls know we can rely on, the boy who all of the guys in Glee secretly see as their little brother, even Puck.' Kurt gave a look of disbelief. 'He told me when we were dating.' Both of the soprano's eyebrows rose until they almost disappeared behind his hairline. 'The point is... we all love you Kurt because you're amazing. And the reason you're so amazing is because you're you. After all, you wouldn't be my best friend if I didn't think you were amazing. Trust me honey, if I'm right and Sam is gay then there's no way that he's not interested. He'd have to be an idiot not to see just how special you are.'

Mercedes pulled the soprano into a warm hug, squeezing him tightly as she felt him cling to her with just as much strength. In her ear she heard a faint _'Thanks Cedes.'_

'You're welcome K.' the two pulled back from each other and sat side by side on the bed in silence, just enjoying each other's company. After a while, Mercedes broke the silence. 'So Kurt, you and Sam ready to lose the duets competition tomorrow?' She offered a cheeky grin as she noted Kurt's indignant expression.

'No, no Cedes. It is you and Puck who should be preparing for your inevitable defeat. We will annihilate you.' He finished with a smirk as he saw his friend's eyebrow raised in disbelief.

'We'll see about that K. We'll see.' Their eyes met and the two shared a grin.

'Oh it's _on._'


	8. Fingerprints

**A/N: So here it is! The next chapter! Thank you so much to anyone who is reading this story or has added it to story alert. I'm incredibly flattered that people actually seem to like my style of writing! It really helps to motivate me so thanks for your support! Special thanks goes to sydg813 and SceneNeko for reviewing! Your kind words of support made my day; here, have one of Rachel's gold stars as a thank you! With no further ado, onto the story! Enjoy! Chasing Aspirations xxx**

The Glee club sat scattered around the room, all sitting with their duet partners (with the exception of Quinn and Rachel who literally couldn't sit next to each other for a long period of time without attempting to claw each other's eyes out, much to Will's dismay). The Glee club director let out a sigh as he watched the diva and ex-cheerio shoot each other glares from across the choir room. He admittedly regretted not allowing the Glee club to choose their own partners as, according to Emma, those two weren't the only pair with issues. Over the course of the week, she'd apparently seen Tina, Artie, Quinn, Rachel, Finn and even on one occasion Santana, all of them complaining about the duets assignment (apparently Santana had even suggested that Emma should attempt to 'persuade' him not to force the club to carry out the assignment- it wasn't the words that the girl had used that had worried Will, it was how he was sure she'd phrased them. What made him certain of her intentions was the wide-eyed and slightly traumatised woman who had recounted their meeting, a cute little stain of blush rising in her cheeks when she'd mentioned talking to Santana. Her eyes had looked so bea... no. Stop thinking of her Will! She's not yours anymore. She belongs to _him_. That dentist... Karl or something. Point is she's moved on, you should too...easier said than done).

The Spanish teacher let out a long suffering sigh as his eyes flickered between the pairs dotted across the seats in front of him. At least Brittany, Mike, Mercedes, Puck, Kurt and Sam seemed to be enjoying or at the very least tolerating the assignment he'd set them. Maybe he should steer clear of pair work for a while after this assignment... maybe work on some more Journey songs?

Will mentally congratulated himself as he started brainstorming ideas for their Sectionals set list (it didn't hurt to be prepared after their experience with Vocal Adrenaline last year and who doesn't love a bit of Journey!). Snapping himself out of his thoughts, the teacher began to address the group.

'Alright guys. Who wants to go first?' A few eager hands shot up but before Will could make a choice, Puck and Mercedes were out of their seats, the former with a guitar in hand, heading for the centre of the choir room. Bemused, Will decided to just take a seat and watch their performance. He tried to ignore the indignant expression of a certain star obsessed diva as she pouted at not being the first to perform, instead choosing to focus on the unlikely duo about to sing together for the first time since the two had split (thinking about it Will wondered how the two hadn't found working together awkward considering their history... he didn't question it though. If anything, he was grateful that these two were able to put aside their differences. After all, Glee club already had more than enough drama to contend with).

'Okay. Mercedes, Puck. Show us what you've got.'

The crash of drums could be heard shortly before the guitar line and Puck's gravely vocals kicked in.

_Puck: Voted most likely_

_To end up on the back of a milk box drink_

_Looks like I'm letting 'em down_

_Mercedes: 'Cause $7.75_

_Isn't worth an hour of my hard work and time_

_When you can't afford half the stuff they advertise_

_Puck: Oh I'm worth more than they ask_

_Mercedes: More than a toe-tagged generation full of regrets_

_Puck: Ohh I won't settle no oh_

_Mercedes: Oh I can't settle_

_Mercedes: I wanna break the mold (ahh ahh –Puck)_

_Wanna break the stereotype (ahh ahh –Puck)_

_Fist in the air (ahh ahh –Puck)_

_I'm not going down without a fight (down without a fight- Puck)_

_Both: It's my life_

_And I'm not sitting on the sidelines watching it_

_Pass me by_

_I'm leaving you my legacy_

_I gotta make my mark_

_I gotta run it hard_

_I want you to remember me_

_Mercedes: I'm leaving my fingerprints_

_Puck: I'm leaving my fingerprints_

_Mercedes: I'm leaving my fingerprints on you_

_Puck: Don't give up_

_Mercedes: Don't give in_

_Both: Build your house on the rock_

_Mercedes: Oh not in the sand_

_Puck: In the sand_

_Mercedes: In the sand_

_Both: In the sand_

_It's my life_

_And I'm not sitting on the sidelines watching it_

_Pass me by_

_I'm leaving you my legacy_

_I gotta make my mark_

_I gotta run it hard_

_I want you to remember me_

_Mercedes: It's my life (I want you to remember me- Puck)_

_And I'm not sitting on the sidelines watching it_

_Pass me by_

_Both: I'm leaving you my legacy_

_I gotta make my mark_

_I gotta run it hard_

_I want you to remember me_

_Puck: 'Cause I'm leaving my fingerprints_

_Mercedes: I'm leaving my fingerprints_

_Both: I'm leaving my fingerprints_

_Mercedes: In the end..._

The Glee club all began to applaud the pair with enthusiasm. Amongst the cheering and whoops of approval, Kurt sent Mercedes a huge grin of congratulations and support; however Sam could feel the counter tenor's uncertainty in the way his fists slightly clenched. The blonde could understand the boy's reaction. From the small amount of time he'd spent re-acquainting himself with Kurt, he'd discovered that some things never changed and one of those things was the brunette's love of performing. He loved the limelight but had never truly had the chance to showcase his talent. Sam remembered how Kurt had opened up to him over the week they'd spent together.

"_You know you're pretty obsessed with this competition dude. Does it really matter if we win or not."_

"_Did you not hear Puck when he told you that Breadstix is the _only_ decent restaurant in Lima...?"_

_The blonde raised an eyebrow at Kurt's explanation. "C'mon Kurt. We both know there's more to it than that. It's like you feel that you have to prove yourself to them...'_

_If the blonde hadn't been so tuned into Kurt then he might have missed the whispered 'I do.' But given his slight obsession with the boy currently perched crossed legged on the edge of the bed, Sam heard the words as clearly as if they had been shouted at him._

'_Kurt man, why would you think that? They all love you in there. If anything it's me who needs to prove something. None of them even know me, for all they know I could suck, I mean...'_

'_Defying Gravity.'_

'_Sorry dude, what?'_

'_That's why I need to prove something. It was a solo that Rachel and I both wanted. Of course she got it... I couldn't hit the high F. No one in Glee club has looked at me quite the same since; I've had to fight twice as hard to get a solo. This competition is a chance to let my voice be heard. Maybe if we win... when we win, they'll see me as more of an asset to the Glee club.' The frown on the soprano's face when he mentioned the high F made Sam believe that there was more to that story than he was being told, however he sensed that now probably wasn't the best time to ask about it. Instead he offered Kurt a gentle, reassuring smile._

'_Kurt man, you're an 'asset', whatever that is, to any Glee club. You've got serious talent. Seriously, you were right when you said we were gonna win. You're awesome Kurt!'_

Sam knew that the only reason Kurt was so tense was that he saw Mercedes as a serious threat in this competition. To be fair, he was right to worry. The two Glee club members had been _fierce_. Kurt was most likely freaking out about not having the chance to make amends for the 'Defying Gravity Disaster'. The blonde reached out and squeezed one of the soprano's clenched fists until it relaxed in his hand, causing a smile to appear on the blonde's face at how comfortable Kurt seemed to be with him.

'Calm down man, she may have been great but we're still gonna win this. After all, we have an advantage that none of the other groups have.'

The brunette quirked an eyebrow in confusion, in a way that Sam found incredibly endearing, as he pursed his lips together into a narrow line. 'What's this advantage then Sam?'

'We have you.' Kurt looked down in embarrassment, cheeks reddening as he pointedly avoided Sam's gaze. Beside him, the jock eyes carefully studied the faint trace of a blush that was now spreading across the soprano's cheeks.

Mercedes and Quinn watched this interaction, Quinn with a look of joyful surprise and Mercedes with a smug smile as she turned to Quinn. 'See I told you he liked Kurt. Now you owe me ten bucks.' The ex-cheerio just smiled as she watched her male friend continue to blush under the attention of the new guy. Was his name Sam? She thought so.

She found herself incredibly grateful that Kurt had finally found someone but she also couldn't help but feel a bit jealous. Not because of who was showing an interest in Kurt, even though, admittedly, when she had first laid eyes on the blonde, she had found him attractive. No instead it was the look in Sam's eyes whenever he was near Kurt. She just wished that someone would look at her in that way.

Unconsciously, her eyes wondered to her 'baby daddy' of last year, watching as he flirted with Satan... sorry Santana as she pointedly ignored the empty feeling she felt at his actions. She also chose to ignore how her stomach churned slightly when he leaned over to peck the cheerio's cheek.

She was over him. She had told herself before this year had started, to leave last year behind and make a new start. For the sake of her own sanity she had to stand by her resolution. She couldn't cope with the pain every time he ran off with another cheerio or cougar anymore. No matter how much she cared for him, she had to let him go. And when Puck lifted his eyes to meet hers, she didn't feel a warm, pleasant fluttering in her stomach... no, not at all.

"Alright everyone. That was a great performance from our first pair. The bar has been set for this competition, so I expect to see some incredible performances from the rest of you. I think we have time for one more. Who wants to go next?"

'We will Mr. Shue.' Tina wheeled Artie to the position where Mercedes and Puck had been previously as they prepared to start their performance.

**A/N: So Mercedes and Puck have performed and now it's Tina and Artie's turn. Any ideas what they might sing? - I'll give you a hint, this was the easiest song choice I made as if you listen to the lyrics, they describe their situation perfectly... Let me know what song you think I'm referring to. Guess right and you get a virtual plate of Rachel's I'm sorry cookies. Review and you get a pack of delicious Red Vines! (What the hell can't they do?).**

**Also, please vote on the poll I've put up on my homepage about Quinn's possible love interest- You feedback would be much appreciated! Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it! Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	9. I'm Still Breathing

**A/N: Hi everyone! So here's the next chapter. Hope you like it! Also thank you to everyone who has read, favourited or story alerted this fanfic. 22 story alerts? I still can't believe it! Thank you so much! You have no idea how encouraging it is to know that people actually like what I'm writing! Also a huge thank you to **_**junebug13669, SceneNeko, Mimi, sydg813, kermodei, Fallen Upon and MrRRS **_**for your lovely reviews! Redvines to all of you and also you can each have an I'm sorry cookie as no one actually managed to guess the correct song for Artie and Tina (admittedly I didn't exactly use the obvious choice but I love this song by Katy Perry and well I hope you agree when I say it's perfect for the two of them). Finally, thanks to the golden star that is**_** KennyIsOrange **_**for her support, creativity and advice (she is the reason this story came into existence and pretty much the reason that it continues to exist- she's my inspiration!). She is also now my amazing beta for this story! So basically thank you everyone for your continued support. Don't forget to read and review! (Oh and sorry for the insanely large author's note) On to the story now, enjoy!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**

As Tina and Artie prepared to sing, the group studied the pair closely, noting the longing look in Artie's eyes as they briefly flicked to where Tina stood beside him. It wasn't rare these days to see him like this; he'd been a broken man both in heart and spirit when Tina had left him for Mike. It seemed like a part of him had died inside when the two had split, now it was rare to see a smile on the once cheerful boy's face. What made it worse was that he saw their relationship paraded around McKinley every day, constantly reinforcing the pain he felt at losing Tina.

He'd told Mercedes when she'd asked about how he felt about Tina and Mike's new relationship _"I know that I deserved it considering the way I'd always treated her so I'm coping with the knowledge that she's found someone more worthy of her love. Of course knowing that doesn't stop it hurting, but it helps. There's no doubt that I still have feelings for her, I probably always will._ _She was my first girlfriend, and she was also the first person who looked beyond the wheelchair to the person who sat in it. Turns out he wasn't so great, but she cared enough to look deep enough to see that. And now I have to live with the fact that I messed up possibly the best thing I've ever had in my life. So to answer your question Mercedes, it hurts to see the two of them together but it's nothing I don't deserve so can't complain. Won't stop me from dreaming though."_

It was common knowledge that Artie wasn't over her. What surprised everyone was the hint of regret that lingered in Tina's eyes as she momentarily allowed her eyes to drift to her partner. Kurt's eyes widened slightly at the implications of this before glancing across to where Mercedes sat. Her perplexed expression told the soprano that she'd noticed the look too. It seemed that all was not well between Tina and Mike then... maybe the rumours about him and Brittany had slightly more truth to them than Kurt had originally believed.

Tina nodded briefly to the band to cue them in as the opening notes began to play.

_Tina: I leave the gas on, walk the alleys in the dark  
Sleep with candles burning, I leave the door unlocked  
I'm weaving a rope and running all the red lights  
Did I get your attention? 'Cause I'm sending all the signs_

The two exchanged a look that conveyed all of the emotions the two had felt over the split. Although Tina had been the one to initiate the break up, she still regretted how their relationship had ended. She'd loved Artie. More, she was certain, than he'd ever loved her. She'd wasted months trying to deal with his unpredictable personality and weird obsessions but in the end, she had reached breaking point. Spending time with Mike, and away from Artie, Tina had been able to forget all of the struggling and drama that went with her love life. She had felt special again, and she'd wanted to hold onto that feeling, that feeling of happiness, security, maybe even love.

What made her feel slightly guilty was the way she'd broken up with him, in public and only half paying attention to the boy she had once loved with all of her heart. Hell, she'd even thrown in a jab about Mike's abs just to spite him... after the initial satisfaction of knowing that she'd succeeded in hurting him in the way he'd hurt her throughout their relationship she felt... empty, then lonely, then guilty. Being with Mike helped. She cared a lot for him and spending time with him always helped to numb the guilt a little.

However, thanks to Mr Shue's hat of fate, she'd been forced to face the consequences of her actions. Seeing firsthand how much she had hurt the boy and without Mike there as an emotional shield, it had broken her heart. She'd tried talking to Ms Pillsbury about it but the redhead had just told her that it was time to _'face her fears and confront them.'_ In other words, asking Ms Pillsbury for advice had been a waste of time. She'd vented her feelings to Mercedes a couple times but in the end she just had to deal with the repercussions of her actions. This was _her_ fault. It was about time she accepted that.

_Artie: That the clock is ticking and I'll be giving my two weeks  
Pick your favourite shade of black you'd best prepare a speech  
Say something funny, say something sweet  
But don't say that you loved me_

The bitterness in Artie's voice as he sang the last line of the verse shocked quite a few people who had never really seen this side of Artie. Mercedes glared at Artie, knowing just how much this project was already hurting her friend. Kurt studied her reaction with interest. Because he'd spent so much time with Sam over the past week, he'd fallen a bit out of the loop with the latest gossip. He allowed his eyes to briefly flicker to the blonde in question; allowing a small smile to creep onto his face... it had been worth it.

_Both: I'm still breathing  
But we've been dead for a while  
This sickness has no cure, we're going down for sure  
Already lost our grip, best abandon ship, oh_

The two harmonized on the chorus creating a beautiful, bittersweet melody line. In the audience, a certain mohawked teen found himself actually listening to the song which surprised him a little. Sure Katy Perry was hot and all, but he'd never really been a fan of her music. Still, he could pull it off; he'd proved that much a few moments ago. He was badass after all. But yeah, he wasn't a Perry fan. This song though, it was different somehow. Something about the lyrics, it was sad but it was like he could relate to the song or whatever. The whole tone of the song reminded him a bit of... no bad thoughts dude. You know it wouldn't work out. It didn't work out. It never will, get over her already. You're Puckzilla! You can have any girl you want! You don't need her... no. You don't _deserve_ her. She's too good for you. She always has been and she always will be. You need to move on.__

Artie: Maybe I was too pale, maybe I was too fat  
Maybe you had better, better luck in the sack  
No formal education, I swore way too much  
I swear you didn't care 'cause we were in love

Tina: So as I write this letter and shed my last tear  
Know it's all for the better that we end this here  
Let's close this chapter, say one last prayer  
But don't say that you loved me 

Mike sat next to Brittany as he watched his girlfriend perform. He loved to hear her voice. It had such a pure emotional quality to it that always left him a little bit breathless. She was incredibly talented. Nobody could deny that. Well, she was incredible in general really. She was so kind, caring, supportive, beautiful, intelligent, patient, loving... He was very aware of how lucky he was that he had her as a girlfriend. Still, he couldn't help but feel a little insecure at times about their relationship. She and Artie had such an amazing connection when they'd dated. Everyone in Glee had seen it. There was no way that all of her feelings for the boy could have vanished when she'd broken up with him.

Mike often wondered if he was just a rebound for her. He hoped not, however, watching them perform this song wasn't really helping his paranoid mind that was already constantly imagining the various ways he could lose his girl to Artie. In the end, if the boy manned up and fought for Tina's affections, Mike wouldn't stand a chance...

It wasn't an easy thing to live with, knowing that your girlfriend cared more about her ex-boyfriend than she did about you. But he cared for the Goth girl far too much to even consider leaving her so he put on a stage smile that Jesse St James would have been proud of, and dealt with it.

_Both: I'm still breathing  
But we've been dead for awhile  
This sickness has no cure, we're going down for sure  
Oh we've been diagnosed, so let's give up the ghost_

Artie knew quite a few things in this moment. Firstly, he knew that even the oblivious Mr Shue would now be aware of his continued affections for Tina. Secondly, he knew that he could expect a huge rant from Mercedes about leaving Tina the hell alone and backing off already. Thirdly, he realised that half of the reason that working with Tina had been so awkward was because she was feeling guilt and maybe even regret about their breakup; which then led onto his forth revelation that if he fought hard enough for Tina's love, he'd probably win.

He turned to meet Mike's eyes and noticed a look of understanding and reluctant acceptance within them. It was then he had his fifth and most shocking revelation; he wouldn't try to steal Tina from Mike. He would back off and let the two be happy together. Spending the last week together had proved that the two simply weren't able to enjoy each other's company any more. Yes, it hurt to see his girl happy with someone else... but it hurt more to see her upset because of his own actions. Mike would treat her right. He deserved Tina, far more than Artie ever would.

_'Cause I'm still breathing  
But we've been dead for a while  
This sickness has no cure, we're going down for sure  
Already lost our grip, best abandon ship, oh_

Artie: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah  
Tina: Oh, I'm still breathing, I'm still breathing  
Both: Oh

The two finished singing to a thunderous round of applause. Mercedes burst out of her seat to confront Artie but stopped short when she noticed the direction that he was heading towards... where Mike and Brittany sat. The dancer raised an eyebrow as he noticed the brown haired boy in front of him. Artie ignored this expression, meeting the jocks eyes and leaning forward whispering the words _"Tina's yours. I'll back off. But make sure you look after her. Make her feel just as special as we both know she is. Don't be a jerk like I was. If I hear you've done anything to break her heart, I'll personally track you down and run you over with my wheelchair... I'm not joking. Look after her Chang."_

Smiling slightly at Artie's words, the boy offered him a nod of agreement before replying. _"I will. I promise."_ Artie, seemingly satisfied with this answer, turned around and wheeled out of the choir room, nodding at Will briefly before he left.

Will spent a couple of moments blinking at the doorway in confusion before snapping out of his reverie and congratulating the two groups on their performances. He then told the other four groups that they'd have to really work hard if they wanted to win the meal at Breadstix before dismissing them.

As the majority of the students rushed out, both Kurt and Sam lingered behind watching and smiling as they noticed Mercedes tearing out of the choir room, pushing a very offended Rachel Berry out of the way as she left, claiming that she was going to 'kick that boy's ass if he didn't tell her what he'd said to Mike'. As the sounds of the rest of the group started to fade, the two turned to look at each other before grinning at one another.

"You know what? We're starting to make a habit of this. Being the last two people to leave each week..." Kurt offered a smirk before continuing "It's almost like you don't want to say goodbye to me."

Sam blushed a little but tried to remain aloof "Why would I want to leave you? After all, it must be pretty dark outside, because all of the sunshine in the world's right here in your smile." He finished with a wink causing Kurt to raise an eyebrow at the corny chat up line.

"Wow Sam. That was corny... Now do you believe in love at first sight, or will I have to walk by you again." Sam laughed a bit at this.

"Kurt, Kurt, Kurt. And you said that _I_ was corny. Are you hurricane _Kurt_-rina? Coz you're blowing me away."

"Aw Sam. You're too sweet. You're giving me tooth ache."

"Hey Kurt, can you catch? I think I'm falling for you." Their eyes met and both boys burst into laughter.

Gradually, as they calmed down, the two noticed that they'd somehow drawn much closer to one another while they were laughing. The atmosphere of the room suddenly changed as both boys felt some invisible force drawing them towards one another. Their eyes met and Sam thought he saw something flicker through the soprano's stunning orbs. Could it possibly be attraction? He could feel his breath hitch slightly as he unconsciously leaned a bit closer to the brunette whose face was now a very pretty shade of red. Sam couldn't help but be fascinated by the colour.

Kurt meanwhile was having an internal monologue along the lines of. 'Don't kiss him. Don't kiss him. Don't kiss him. He's your _friend_. Your almost definitely _straight friend_. Don't ruin your _friendship_ for a _fantasy_. Don't kiss him...

Both boys were broken out of these thoughts as Finn stumbled back into the room telling Kurt that Puck's car had broken down so he needed a lift. Rolling his eyes, Kurt told Finn to wait in his car before throwing him the keys and turning to face Sam once more. Offering a shy smile, he told Sam that he'd see the blonde for practise tomorrow at 7 before he rushed out of the room, trying to hide his embarrassment. He'd almost kissed Sam. What was wrong with him? These feelings were starting to get a bit out of hand and Kurt was beginning to worry about what the outcome of them would be. The problem was Sam wasn't just a crush; he was becoming one of Kurt's best friends. He couldn't afford to lose him.

Back in the choir room Sam was berating himself again for the way he had acted around Kurt. Why did he always act like such a dork when he was with Kurt? Hell, he'd spent about half of the last week talking to Kurt about Avatar! As far as he knew, Kurt had seen the movie once and he hadn't even liked it that much. What was wrong with him? The blonde let out a sigh as he rested his head in his hands.

Unknown to both boys, a person had watched and noted how the boys had interacted with one another. _Interesting,_ they thought, _very interesting_. _This will make my plans a whole lot easier to carry out. _They noted the flush on both boys' cheeks as they exited the building._ Perfect._

**A/N: So there it is. We have now seen Mercedes/Puck and Tina/Artie perform. That leaves Brittany/Mike, Santana/Finn, Quinn/Rachel and Kurt/Sam. Any guesses as to what they'll sing? Correct answers result in one of Kurt's colourful scarves! Also, has anyone guessed who was watching them at the end of this chapter? I'd love to hear your theories!**

**Huge thanks to everyone who has voted on my poll so far (to those who couldn't find it when they looked- I had a bit of a technical failure a.k.a. I forgot to activate it so the poll didn't appear on my profile... not one of my finest moments). Please, if you haven't already, vote! I'd love to know your views on the matter. I'll probably end the poll when I post the next chapter (hopefully next weekend) so please vote before then. Your help will be much appreciated!**

**Also who else is excited about Glee coming back soon? Have you heard the previews yet? Oh my Rowling! Darren's voice on 'Bills, Bills, Bills'... just wow! If you haven't heard it yet, check it out!**

**Thanks again for the support! Responses like this are really encouraging. I'm now considering writing a few more multichaptered fanfics so thanks for giving me the confidence to consider that! Also, I take requests so if anyone has any ideas that they want me to write, review or PM me about it!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	10. Simple Choreography and Complex Emotions

**A/N: Hi everyone! Firstly, thanks to everyone who reads this! You lot are my inspiration. Just checked my hits number- it's absolutely insane how many people have read this- I love you all for it! Secondly, thanks to anyone who has alerted or favourited this story. Really special thanks to **_**junebug13669, Orange-Porridge-Pie, RimTusaw, Puckaroxliza, Fallen Upon, Scene Neko **_**and **_**Sydg813 **_**for reviewing! You have no idea how it feels when you look down your list of reviews on a story and realise that there is now a 'next page' option (there's only one review on that page but I still felt a weird sense of pride :D). And again many thanks to my lovely, patient and talented Beta; KennyIsOrange. I don't know what I'd do without you! This is the longest chapter that I've written yet as I was hit with sudden inspiration. Hope you like the chapter! Enjoy! Chasing Aspirations xxx**

"Okay so 5, 6, 7, 8 and 1, 2... Sam what _are _you doing?" The counter tenor sighed as he watched Sam take a few steps forward, somehow almost tripping over his own feet in the process. Honestly, the blonde's voice was incredible, beautiful, mesmerising, unique, warm... The point was, Sam, vocally was stunning. His dancing skills, however... left something to be desired.

"Come on Kurt. We've been doing this for hours man. I'm tired! Can't we just rest for a minute?" Kurt tried to resist the urge to smile as the jock flung himself to the floor. It seemed that the soprano's love for the dramatic was starting to affect Sam's behaviour. It was a testament really to how much time they'd spent together over the last two weeks. He'd barely seen Mercedes since the project had begun; he could actually count on one hand the number of times they'd hung out together since he and Sam had been paired up. Normally, he and the diva were joined at the hip; gossiping, shopping and generally being fabulous. Kurt felt a little guilty at the way he'd been neglecting her. He'd have to organize a shopping trip soon to make up for it.

"Sam. This is easy choreography! We're barely even moving." Kurt feigned anger, he could never really be mad at someone like Sam, "I've made this as simple as possible; I want the focus of our audience to be on our assets- our superior vocal abilities. Just be thankful you weren't paired with Mike or Brittany. They're the dancers of the group. I may be good, but I have to admit that when it comes to dancing, those two are just in a league of their own..." Kurt realized he was rambling a little and changed the subject. "Anyway. The point is, this stuff is basic. I could do it in my _sleep_. Come on Sam. Don't you want to win?"

The blonde lifted his eyes to meet Kurt's. "We've been through this. We _will_ win. Not just because of the way we've literally given up any kind of social life to make sure that everything is perfect- which incidentally it pretty much is and has been for a while- but because of our advantage. Kurt you're so talented!" Sam said enthusiastically, " I'll never understand why that Rachel chick gets all of the solos because both you and Mercedes could sing her into the ground. You're so amazing, your voice is so pure and honest it's..." Sam paused, he didn't know if he wanted to go so far and let it slip that he loved the boy, "...well to be honest a little breathtaking."

Kurt felt his cheeks flush for what felt like the hundredth time since Sam had come back into his life, his heart pounded as he considered what the blonde had just said to him. He thought he was_ amazing_ and _breathtaking_. He found himself unable to stop staring at the jock in front of him.

Said jock was internally panicking. Why did you say that? You've probably scared him off now! Way to be subtle dude. He's probably been aware of your feelings since day one; he's just too nice to tell you to back off. What is wrong with you man? Since when were you so clueless? Sam resisted the urge to sigh at the realisation that this was nothing new. He'd always been a bit clueless when it had come to the counter tenor.

_2000 (Sam and Kurt are Six- shortly after Kurt saved his life)_

"_Hey... Kurt. Um do you...? I mean would you like...? It's just I..."_

_The brunette quirked his head in confusion "What?"_

"_Would you like to play with me? I mean you don't have to I just thought..."_

"_Okay. But why?" The blonde's eyes lit up as he registered Kurt's agreement._

"_You saved my life. I owe you like forever. This can help me make it up to you."_

_Sam watched the other boy's eyes cloud with upset at this comment. The blonde was confused. Why would Kurt be upset that Sam wanted to thank him for saving him? Had he said something wrong? He felt his heart drop as he watched the younger boy's eyes tear up. He didn't want to see Kurt cry._

"_What's wrong? I'm sorry. Please don't cry."_

_The brunette sniffed a little before locking his gaze with Sam's, giving the blonde a weird feeling of warmth within his tummy. Ignoring this sensation, he gazed into Kurt's expressive eyes, they were currently filled with what he thought was disappointment?_

"_You said you want to play with me to 'make it up' to me. I guess that means you don't really want to play with me at all. It's okay though. I don't really have any friends. Mummy says it's because I'm special but if I'm so special then why does no one seem to like me? I'm sorry for crying, it's just... I hoped that you might want to be my friend."_

_Before Kurt knew what was happening, he felt Sam's arms wrap tightly around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. It felt... nice._

"_I _do_ want to be your friend Kurt. Not just because you saved my life but because... I like you. And your mummy's right. You are special. At least, you're special to me." He offered the brunette a smile before grabbing onto his hand and pulling him across towards his house. "Come on. I'll show you my house. Mum and dad will want to meet you too. I told them about you saving me. Hurry up. Mum said she'd make cookies."_

_The two shared a smile. "So we're friends?"_

"_Best friends."_

Sam was snapped back to the present at the sound of Kurt announcing that he had officially 'given up' as the blonde was a 'lost cause' and that they might as well spend their time in a 'more productive way'.

"Any ideas then Kurt?"

"Well I'd love to take you shopping. Your look is a bit outdated. I've wanted to update your wardrobe ever since you set foot in our choir room."

The blonde felt a bit put out by the soprano's comments. He didn't think his sense of style was _that_ bad. Noting the look on the jocks face, Kurt amended his words.

"Your wardrobe's nothing horrendous. Finn's, without a doubt, worse at dressing himself and don't even get me started on Rachel... Just give me a couple of hours. I only need to make a few minor changes to your outfits really. Just trust me. By the time I'm through with you, no one will be able to resist you. I promise it'll be worth your time... Please."

Kurt pulled out the puppy dog eyes, secretly knowing that he would get his way now, no matter what he asked for. Mercedes may be good at this look, but the soprano had those eyes down to an art.

"Fine, fine. I'll let you take me shopping. Just... nothing too extreme." The counter tenor smirked at the jocks words.

"Don't worry Sam; you'll be in safe hands. Now come on, the mall awaits!"

Sam followed the now very enthusiastic soprano out of the basement and towards Kurt's car. Looking at the maniacal glint in his eye, Sam couldn't help but think; '_What the hell have I gotten myself into?"_

GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_

Sam sat next to Kurt on the soprano's bed a few hours later, various bags from their earlier shopping trip scattered around their feet. The blonde was a little bit traumatized by the whole experience. He had no idea there were even that many shops in Lima. Letting out a sigh of relief as he lay back on the mattress, one thought circled in his mind; Shopping Kurt is more intense than Duets Kurt... I didn't think that was possible. _Never again_.

There had been some benefits to the trip though. He'd gotten to see Kurt in his element- the brunette loved all things fashion related (some things never change) and the mall was like some sort of fashion temple to him. The blonde had loved seeing the soprano's eyes light up as he had spoken animatedly about the assets of Gucci and Marc Jacobs. He'd enjoyed hearing the brunette laugh at Sam's attempts to figure out what Kurt was actually talking about- he loved the brunette's laugh. It was... sweet. It suited the boy who it belonged to well.

Most of all he'd enjoyed the trip because it meant that for the entire afternoon he'd had the soprano's full undivided attention. He was going to miss that when this duets project ended. Of course, he knew they'd still hang out but... it wouldn't be the same.

Kurt lay down next to the blonde currently sprawled across his bed, trying to ignore the close proximity the two were lying at. It was slightly disconcerting to lay so close to the blonde. He could actually feel the heat radiating off of the jock's body, making him hyper-aware of Sam's every movement. This didn't help the already incredibly strong attraction that the brunette felt whenever the two were around each other.

At least that would ease off a bit when the assignment ended. Still, Kurt couldn't deny that he would miss this closeness that the two had developed. It was nice to have Sam back into his life, it was as if a huge part of Kurt that he hadn't realized he had been missing had returned with the blonde the day that he'd saved Kurt from the jocks. It was almost scary how reliant he already was on the jock... it couldn't be healthy to be this obsessed with a blatantly straight guy... again.

A loud knock on the door caused both boys to sit up just as Burt walked in, telling Sam that his mum had called saying that she wanted him home for 'family night'. Rolling his eyes at 'family' (as far as he was concerned, they hadn't been a proper family for years) the blonde thanked Burt before turning to the soprano and offering him a small smile and pulling him into a tight hug.

Kurt's eyes widened slightly at this gesture. He wasn't used to anyone except Burt, Mercedes, Quinn, Carole and occasionally Finn wanting to actually touch him, let alone hold him. It was...nice. He remembered that Sam had always been like this as a child as well. Very... clingy.

For what felt like the millionth time since they'd re-met, Kurt found himself reciting the thought; He is my _friend. _Not my _boyfriend_. He's not even _gay_. Get over him before you get hurt... again. Obviously a lot easier said than done. Why did Sam have to be so sweet with him? So understanding, funny, cute, friendly... why did he have to be so perfect? It made Kurt's attempts not to fall for the jock hopeless.

Sam smiled a little as he felt the smaller boy's arms cling tighter as he moved away to leave. It was encouraging to know that Kurt didn't want him to leave. The sound of the brunette's father clearing his throat reminded the blonde that he really should be leaving. He extracted himself from the brunette's hold, waving at him as he left the basement and headed to where he'd parked his car earlier.

Kurt stared blankly at the space where he'd last seen Sam, his mind desperately trying to memorise the way he'd felt in the blonde's arms. The sound of his father's voice broke him out of his Sam induced haze, flushing slightly at the realisation that his dad was now fully aware of his feelings for the jock. He just knew that this would end in some incredibly _awkward_ conversations.

"You like him don't you."

"He's a great friend and sing..." Burt raised an eyebrow.

"You know what I mean. You _like_ him and from what I've seen the feeling's mutual."

"Dad, he's not like that. We're just friends..."

"Kurt he let you take him shopping. He's either crushing on you or the most patient guy in the world. My money is on the first option."

"Dad I..."

"Look son, he seems like a good kid. Hardworking, polite and most important of all, he really seems to care about you. What I'm trying to say is... if I'm right about him and you, well you have my blessing. Just, don't tell him that. It's my right as a parent to threaten him with bodily harm and to generally make his life a living hell for the first few weeks of a relationship. I'm fairly sure it's an unwritten law or something. Just... remember this. He's not _Finn_. Don't give up on him before you've even tried."

Kurt stared wide-eyed at his father as he offered the soprano a warm smile. "Night Kurt."

"Night." The brunette watched as his father exited the basement, internally trying to figure out exactly when his father had begun to know Kurt better than he knew himself. Maybe that final statement about Finn had some truth to it. Could that be the reason why he was so afraid to ask Sam how he felt about the two of them? Possibly...

GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_

Sam walked through the buzzing halls of McKinley, offering a grin to the trio stood by Kurt's locker (Kurt, Mercedes and Quinn) as he passed. The second and third member of the trio nudged each other as they saw, what could only be described as longing; looks pass between the two boys. They were both so _clueless_. At first it was cute... now it was starting to get a bit annoying.

Quinn was actually starting to seriously consider matchmaking the pair herself if one of them didn't make a move soon. When she'd seen the two flirting with each other with, admittedly awful, chat up lines, she'd assumed that they would finally stop dancing around one another and kiss already... unfortunately they seemed to be even more determined not to admit their feelings for one another than before. It was pretty infuriating really. Still, Quinn had plans that would soon be put into action if necessary and the ex-cheerio was almost certain that they would.

Sam, unaware of the ideas racing through the other blonde's mind continued to walk towards his locker, stopping when he spotted Karofsky, Azimo and another jock Dan Hunter standing in front of it, arms folded, looks of frustration written across their faces. He turned to leave quickly but stopped at the sound of Karofsky's voice echoing down the hallway.

"Yo Evans! Where you been man?" he turned to acknowledge the jocks that had now moved to stand with him. Externally he grinned in greeting, internally he wanted to run and hide- he had always _hated_ confrontation.

"Been busy. You know how life is. Parents, parties, girlfriend... what can you do?" Sam mentally congratulated himself at managing to sound 'cool' while he panicked inside. It seemed that all of his years of hiding the truth from everyone were paying off. His words caused Hunter to nod in acceptance and Azimo to smirk a little when he mentioned his 'girlfriend'. Karofsky, however, seemed unsatisfied with this answer.

"We heard you joined homo explosion. This true?" Sam watched as the three jocks expressions returned to being hostile. _Great_.How the hell was he meant to explain this one?

"Yeah man. My folks made me. Sucks right?" Again the blonde was pleasantly surprised that his lying skills were clearly a lot better than he gave himself credit for.

"Yeah. But, dude! You're always with them. Why? They're freaks! Why do you hang with them?"

"Stupid duets assignment. Had to work with one of the club on a song. That means I have to deal with the rest as they all seem to group together. Probably because no one else wants to even be seen with them. Can't blame them though. Glee sucks!" Azimo high fived him at this and Hunter grinned. Karofsky remained quiet. It was slightly unnerving really. His eyes seemed to bore into Sam, screaming at him '_I know. I know about you, I know about Kurt, about what he means to you. I know what you are and could tell anyone I want. So don't mess with me_.

The blonde felt a slight churning sensation in the pit of his stomach at the thought of the meathead in front of him knowing. He hadn't even told his parents or Kurt yet. He wasn't ready to tell anyone. He had made the choice to blend in and to be fairly normal when he'd joined McKinley, he didn't want anyone to tear that choice away from him.

"Well be careful man! They have that fag in the club. Dude he'll try to infect you with his gayness." Suddenly the urge to run was gone; an urge to beat the hell out of Karofsky took its place. This urge was a _lot_ harder to resist.

"You need to get out of there, before you lose what makes you a dude. It's already happened to Chang, Puck and Hudson." Sam couldn't believe how stupid these three were. It was almost enough to make him pity them... almost.

"Yeah man. Hudson was quarterback last year. Look what he is now- a loser, a freak, a nobody. And dude, if you're not careful, you could be next!"

"So man up Evans before the same happens to you!" the three jocks all stared intently, waiting for the new guys reaction.

"Don't worry guys I'm not an idiot; I'm no Hudson. I've got no intention of letting those losers make me 'one of them'. Soon everyone will know where my loyalties lie." None of them needed to know that his loyalties actually lay with those 'losers' really did they? They'd know soon anyway when he continued to hang around with the group after the duets project and on some level, he didn't care that they'd know as long as he continued to see Kurt regularly.

He watched silently as Azimo and Hunter nodded a final time before striding after Rachel and Finn, slushies in hand, offering each other a smug look as the sound of the diva's indignant shriek filled the hallways.

The remaining jock muttered a quick "I don't trust you Evans. I'm watching you." Sam rolled his eyes, concealing the fact that he was a quivering wreck on the inside.

The blonde let out a small sigh before grabbing the books out of his locker and rushing towards his first class of the day; English. His screen flickered telling him he'd received a new text. Grinning madly as he noted the name that appeared, he opened the message laughing slightly at the soprano's words.

Forgotten, two people watched as Kurt sent a text, noting the exact moment when Sam's phone vibrated across the hallway. They studied Sam's reaction with similar interest... the only difference between the two observers was their intentions for the duo... they couldn't be more different.

**A/N: Well done to everyone who guessed Quinn at the end of the last chapter. Here have one of Kurt's colourful scarves! Please review! I'd love to hear your thoughts on who the other observer at the end of this chapter is (It's probably obvious but I'd still like you to guess). Reviewers get one of Sam's awesome hugs! Also a HUGE thank you to everyone who voted on my poll. Here have a slushie- I'm not throwing it at you it's to drink. I'd be pretty cruel if I'd thrown them at you!**

**Glee is so close now... I can almost see it. SO EXCITED! And then the Valentines episode two days after... which I'm admittedly a little less excited about since I found out the truth about 'When I get you alone'. Anybody else feel hurt when they realised he wasn't singing to Kurt?**

**The bright side is that I'm now even more invested in the Hevans pairing as I'm still slightly mad at Blaine (not Darren though. I could never be angry with him!) After seeing the video, which means that I'm even more inspired to write this now!**

**Thanks for reading! I really appreciate it! Now... review?**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	11. Algebra, Superheroes and Master Plans

**A/N: Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter! Hope you all like it! A HUGE thank you to anyone who has read, favourite or alerted this fanfic! Just checked the alert number: 33 story alerts? Thank you so much! And 20 reviews? - That's the most I've ever gotten on a story by a **_**mile**_**! An extra special thanks (and one of Sam's awesome hugs) to **_**CrimsynLies**_**, **_**sydg813**_**, **_**SceneNeko**_** and **_**emiliexox**_** for reviewing! And as always a thank you of epic proportions goes to my lovely beta **_**KennyIsOrange**_**.**

**So, with no further ado, the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**

"This is unbearable." Sam groaned as he covered his face dramatically with his textbook, sighing as he turned to stare at the other books lying in a pile on his bed. It seemed as if they were taunting him. Mocking him as he struggled to figure out what the hell _**x**_and _**y **_were meant to equal, numbers all a confused blur in his mind. When would he actually need to use this in his life anyway?

Pushing a strand of hair away from his eyes, the blonde forced himself to study the book once more, feeling more and more confused as he continued to attempt to at least understand some of the question. Why did he leave this until the last minute? Now he had about five different projects due the next day and only about 3 hours to complete them. What had he been thinking?

He knew the answer. All he'd thought of was Kurt Hummel. The boy who'd saved his life, his sole obsession... well besides Avatar... and comic book superheroes... and singing... well maybe he had quite a few obsessions. Still, he could safely say that the brunette was the most interesting of these.

Well, if he thought about it, Kurt was probably a bit like a superhero. Not that he'd ever be seen in one of their outfits. Sam knew very well that the diva would shudder before claiming that the outfits were _way_ too tacky and the capes were an accident waiting to happen. To be honest, he may have a point... about the capes, not the tackiness. Sam loved superhero costumes. They were so bright and colourful, so free... they represented everything the blonde yearned for. _Freedom_.

Kurt was still a hero though, even without the costume. He was still brave. He was the bravest person Sam had ever met. He had the courage to stand up to the jocks, to walk around the school in what _he _wanted to wear, to be honest about _his_ opinions, to sing what _he_ wanted, to be the person that _he _wanted to be and to _never _let anybody stop him. He stuck up for his friends. He was loyal, honest, kind, wonderful, talented, beautiful... well he was kind of perfect.

But Sam was no hero, he saw himself as a coward. Afraid of the jocks, afraid of people's whispers and cutting words, afraid of his parents, afraid of even telling his best friend/crush/saviour that he was gay, more afraid than anything of the possibility that his feelings for Kurt were unrequited... and of Sue Sylvester. He still remembered, with stunning clarity, the day when he and Kurt had spent a little longer than they should have practising, causing Kurt to be late to cheerios practise... it hadn't been pretty.

He'd _never_ made that mistake again.

The blonde let out another frustrated sigh as he allowed his head to smack against the wall. This was getting a bit ridiculous. Even when he wasn't with the brunette, he couldn't focus on anything but him. Grabbing a pencil from where it lay beside his leg, Sam scanned the page desperately searching for a part of the work that actually made any sense...he knew it was hopeless, but it was worth a try wasn't it?

THIS_IS_A_LINE_BUT_FANFICTION_DELETES_ME_SO_YOU_GET_THIS_INSTEAD_SORRY_BOUT_THAT

On the other side of Lima, Ohio, another blonde stood and gazed at her reflection, taking in the floaty pale yellow dress that she wore. It was beautiful material, but she wasn't quite sure if it hung _just right_. Deciding she needed an expert, she called Kurt over from where he stood begging Mercedes not to buy another 'multicoloured monstrosity'.

"What do you think Kurtsie? Too floaty?" Quinn grinned as she noted how the soprano's face grimaced slightly at the nickname.

"How many times have I told you not to call me that? And the style of the dress suits your figure perfectly. Why? Trying to impress a certain someone?" The brunette's eyebrow quirked slightly, causing the blonde to flush a little as thoughts of a certain mowhawked jock surfaced in her mind.

"What makes you think that I'm trying to do that? After all, it's not me who spent two hours trying to choose the 'right scarf' to wear for a rehearsal with Sam." Quinn resisted the urge to chuckle at the shocked expression on the soprano's face. "Methinks _you_ are the one aiming to impress a certain someone." She smirked, causing the brunette to flush a little himself. It was adorable; she could definitely see why Sam liked him.

"It wasn't for Sam... I just like to be fashionable at all times."

"Kurt. I heard you. You kept muttering something about stupid scarves and cute blond jocks and since I can't imagine you being interested in a homophobe like Dan Hunter, I think I'm safe in the assumption that you _really_ like Sam." Kurt hung his head in defeat.

"Okay fine. I _really_ like him. Happy now?" The counter tenor said exasperatedly.

"Ecstatic." She replied, sarcastically. "Now come on, let's go find some shoes to go with this dress."

Grateful for the change in subject, Kurt allowed himself to be dragged over to the shoe rack, offering a grin to Mercedes as they passed where she was queuing for the till.

Internally the blonde grinned. Okay, she thought, Kurt _really_ likes Sam; a feeling I'm sure is mutual. I think maybe it's time to consider putting my master plan into action.

Mercedes just rolled her eyes as she noticed the expression of her blonde friend's face. She knew _that look_. _That look_ never meant anything good. The diva was well aware of this since being _that look's_ last victim. That had been the blind date from _hell_. What on earth had the blonde been thinking? The point was, she'd learned the hard way not to trust _that look_. Quinn meant well, but her so called 'master plans' very rarely succeeded.

Mercedes let out a sigh. She just knew that this would end in tears. Turning back to the queue, she decided to ignore her friend's antics for now. She'd confront her later, right now she had shopping to take care of.

THIS_IS_A_LINE_BUT_FANFICTION_DELETES_ME_SO_YOU_GET_THIS_INSTEAD_SORRY_BOUT_THAT

"Sam honey. Are you okay? I could hear banging." The blonde turned to see his mum standing in the doorway, washing in one hand and one of the sheets of paper that Sam had screwed up and aimed at the bin, missing it by miles due to his frustration. He sighed under his breath as she forced him to shuffle over so that she could perch on the edge of his mattress. _Great, just what I needed to cheer me up._

"I'm fine mum. Just having trouble with algebra. Nothing to worry about."

"Why have you got all of your other books out then?" The woman eyes crinkled slightly in feigned concern. Sam knew better, she probably just didn't want anything to disturb her while she finished preparing for her 'big pitch' at work.

"I have about four or five projects due tomorrow so I..."

"Samuel Evans! What were you thinking leaving all of this to the last minute?" The stern tone of her voice caused Sam to hang his head slightly.

"Sorry mum. I got distracted." He met her eyes, smiling sheepishly. "It's just my glee partner and I have been practising for the duets contest all the time. We're gonna win! His voice is just awesome. You should hear it! You might remember him from before we moved. His name's Kurt Hummel. You know the one who saved my life? My best friend?"

His mother's eyes widened slightly before she smiled telling Sam that of course she remembered him and that she'd love to meet him again at some point before she rushed out of the room, leaving behind a very confused son staring after her, eyebrows raised in surprise.

He thought he'd seen something flicker through her eyes when he'd mentioned Kurt. Had it been... fear?

THIS_IS_A_LINE_BUT_FANFICTION_DELETES_ME_SO_YOU_GET_THIS_INSTEAD_SORRY_BOUT_THAT

Kurt, Quinn and Mercedes sat next to each other on Mercedes' couch, face masks on and nails painted, half watching as RENT played on the TV in front of them as they gossiped and tried to resist the urge to laugh- their face masks would crack if they did and that would be tragic.

"So Quinn, how's working with Rachel going for you?" The blonde sent death glares to her smirking friends as she remembered their last rehearsal. Rachel had spent two hours telling the blonde that while her voice was pretty, it would never reach the brunette girl's superior level of ability... Quinn had spent the next hour getting revenge by explaining to the star exactly how awful her dress sense was, in detail, quoting Kurt's own views on the subject at points. Needless to say, the rehearsal had ended in one of Rachel's infamous diva storm outs and had left Quinn feeling incredibly self-conscious about her singing abilities.

"Oh it's just peachy. How was working with Noah 'I'm such a badass, just look at my guns' Puckerman?" Kurt laughed a little at the blonde's choice of words to describe her ex, whereas Mercedes smiled a little.

"Pretty good actually. Mostly we argued about song choices. Once we sorted that out, it was a piece of cake." She grinned a little wider before continuing "Besides, in the end he was too busy humming the tune to what I think was 'Papa Don't Preach'. Either of you have any idea why that might be?" Both her and Kurt exchanged looks before turning to study Quinn who seemed to have drifted off into her own little world as she remembered the time she'd baby sat with Puck.

The blonde flushed slightly. Did he remember that night? She definitely did. It had been the night when she'd actually believed that she, Puck and her unborn child could have been a _real_ family. Of course, Santana's sexts had quickly destroyed that illusion. She knew better now... so why did she still treasure that memory?

"We might have performed that together once or twice." The grins on her friend's faces grew. "We were only trying to stop the kids we were babysitting from destroying anything else. They'd already caused about $100 damage and neither of us could afford to pay if they broke anything else! I'm telling you now, those kids were terrifying- it was almost as if they were possessed or something... was he really humming that tune?" Quinn internally cursed how hopeful her voice had sounded.

"Almost certain Q. There's no way that boy is over you. From what I heard, he liked you years before the whole baby gate drama. That kind of love doesn't just go away." The blonde felt a small smile creeping onto her face as she considered her friend's words. _Had he really liked her for all these years?_

Mercedes then turned to Kurt "So Kurtsie, how's working with Sam? I heard you took him shopping?"

The blonde snapped out of her Puck induced daze as she heard her friend's words. _They went shopping together? Okay. Kurt's feelings definitely aren't unrequited. No straight guy would ever submit himself to a shopping trip with Kurt. Hell, only Mercedes and I actually seem to enjoy his shopping trips. Even Tina found them 'too intense'. Yes, Sam is definitely interested! Something must be done. Those two are far too clueless to ever realise their feelings for one another on their own. Maybe I should get Mercedes to help out. She's bound to have noticed the incredible connection those two seem to have. Either way, it's officially time to put my 'master plan' into action._

"Someone had to! We were taking a break from rehearsing, I think Sam thought I was being merciful when I suggested a shopping trip instead of another two hours of rehearsing our routine... Rest assured, he's learnt his lesson! I think I heard him mutter 'never again' about five times during the time we spent updating his wardrobe." The two girls laughed a little at that.

"As for working with him... Sam's an incredible singer, he's got such a melodic voice. He's not the most incredible dancer, but he's still a lot better than he seems to believe he is. The problem is confidence." The brunette frowned for a moment before continuing, "The moment he gets nervous, he starts to struggle with the routine, but when he gets into it, it's amazing. He literally transforms into this other person. He becomes lost in the music, feeling the choreography instead of just remembering it; it alters his entire performance." Kurt smiled slightly as he remembered the last time he'd seen Sam like that. It had been a bit inspiring."It's in those moments that I can see the star he's going to be someday. If he manages to pull that off for our duet... you both can kiss that free diner at breadstix goodbye."

"We'll see about that! Me and Puck kicked ass with our duet. You've got a lot to live up to..."

"And when Rachel and I choose a song then... oh who am I kidding? Our duet has no chance of winning at this rate. We can't even stick to a song choice for longer than two rehearsals before one of us ends up rejecting the idea completely. To be honest, I just want this project to be over with so I can move on with my life."

The three friends turned back to watch as 'La Vie Boheme' began to blare out of the speakers, all of them singing along, laughing and enjoying each other's company. Kurt almost missed the moment when his phone vibrated in his pocket.

Flipping open the screen, he saw a short text that made his heart take a little leap in his chest:

_Hope u had fun with Cedes and Quinn 2day. Say hi from me. Missed u. Hope we can meet up 2morrow 4 last min rehearsal. Night,_

_Sam x_

The brunette quickly typed a reply, smiling as he hit the send button.

THIS_IS_A_LINE_BUT_FANFICTION_DELETES_ME_SO_YOU_GET_THIS_INSTEAD_SORRY_BOUT_THAT

Sam threw the last of his books into his bag with a feeling of satisfaction. He had _eventually_ finished the algebra questions and after that, everything else had been a lot easier to complete. _Thank God for that_. Lying back on his bed, the blonde decided to send Kurt a quick text before he fell asleep. Before a minute had passed, he felt the telltale movement of the phone, signalling that the brunette had replied. The blonde grinned at the soprano's incredibly fast texting skills before reading the message.

_Hey Sam,_

_How did your catch-up work go? Today was fun, but I missed u 2. Cedes and Quinn say hi back. How about 2morrow 7? C u then. Sweet dreams,_

_Kurt xxx_

Sam stared at the message for a few seconds, a huge smile stretching across his face, as he read and re-read the text before saving it into his phone memory. All of Kurt's texts were saved there. He was still grinning like an idiot when his mum walked into to say goodnight, he barely acknowledged her as she placed a kiss on his forehead, his mind elsewhere.

Jennifer Evans studied her son, taking in the dreamy expression and huge grin that threatened to split his face in two if it grew any larger. So, he was in _love. _He must have met someone. That's why he'd been spending so much time 'with Kurt rehearsing'! He'd been hiding this girl, whatever her name was, from her. _He must be too embarrassed to tell me. I'll give him time though. After all, this will be his first serious relationship. Thank God he's finally found someone! I was starting to worry about him_.

She planted a soft kiss on the blonde's forehead before leaving her son to his thoughts. _This girl must be something really special. I hope I get to meet her soon! Still, got to allow their relationship to bloom before I meet her. Knowing my son, he won't have even told her how he feels yet. He always was a little bit shy._

Caught up in her fantasies of Sam and his 'girlfriend' and her future grandchildren, Jenny didn't see the worried look on her husband's face as he noted the look of excitement on his wife's face. He waited until she'd returned to editing her work before getting up and wishing Sam goodnight. _I wish I could warn you_; was all he thought to himself as he saw his son sprawled across the bed, phone still clutched in his hand, fast asleep with a huge smile dominating his features. He was so peaceful, so happy... _I wish it could last_.

**A/N: So what did you think? Good? Bad? Mediocre? (Was listening to 'Rocky Horror Glee Show' while writing this). Let me know! Also, I'd love to know what you think of Sam's parents- they'll play quite a key role later on in this fanfic... there's still quite a bit of plot until that happens though (for the first time ever I've actually planned out where my story is going- I'm so proud of myself!). A Kurt-esqe superhero outfit for anyone who reviews (plus a lot of gratitude from me :D). **

**If anyone is interested, I've posted another Glee fanfic called 'Honesty and Angels'. It's basically an alternate take on Quinn and Santana's characters- if you read it, don't get me wrong, I love Quinn (as you can probably tell from this fanfic) I just wanted to try something slightly different. If you read it, let me know what you think of it :D**

**Also, what did everyone think of Glee? I kind of wanted to slap Quinn during 'Silly Love Songs'. Poor Sam! **** Also, Lauren/Puck is looking less weird after that last episode- what can I say? I like her attitude! She's probably one of the only people who could actually (possibly) 'tame' Puck... still a major Quinn/Puck shipper though (and naturally a Klaine and Hevans shipper- I'm quite torn as to which one I want to be cannon really). And did anyone else find themselves actually liking Karofsky during the super bowl episode? Huh. If he hadn't messed it up in the end, I might have actually considered Kurtofksy *shudders* as a possible cannon pairing.**

**Anyone seen the promo for the next episode yet? Sue in Glee club? And Sam singing Beiber? What the hell has Glee come to? Still it actually sounded interesting so... very excited to see the next episode! :D**

**Also, I take requests so if anyone has anything that they would like me to write for them, let me know!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	12. Courage and Confrontations

**A/N: Hi everyone! Hope you like this chapter- I think it might be the longest I've written so far... I feel quite proud of myself! A huge thanks to everyone who is reading this story- every time I get a message saying **_**story alert **_**or **_**favorite**__** story**_** or**_** review**_** I get this huge smile on my face and a sudden urge to start writing the next chapter- you're the reason I actually manage to stick to my update schedule so thank you all for your incredible support! A special thanks to **_**StunningSpellRocks2345**_**, **_**CrimsynLies**_**, **_**SceneNeko, sydg813**_**, **_**Kermodei**_** and **_**redpen88**_** for their lovely reviews. And an extra huge thanks to **_**OnyxNailo **_**who actually reviewed twice just to encourage me to update faster! You lot are all the nicest reviewers I could have asked for- I love you guys! And, as always, thanks to my lovely beta **_**KennyIsOrange**_**.**

**With no further ado, onto the chapter (sorry if my long author notes annoy anyone. I'm just so in awe of how many people actually read this- it's quite amazing really :D). Enjoy!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**

Dave Karofsky was a lot more complex than people gave him credit for. Sure he wasn't exactly the brightest guy in the world but he wasn't an idiot. He _knew_ things- not about stupid stuff like Geometry or Trig... real stuff, important stuff.

He knew how the high school system worked. (The jocks and cheerleaders at the top of the pyramid, followed by the 'cool' smart kids- the ones that are subtle about it, NOT the geeks, and the 'puck heads', then there's the cheerio wanabes, the gossips, the emos, the drama club and the geeks. Then below another two layers of shit there's Glee Club, add another ten and there's McKinley's resident gay; Kurt Hummel) he understood which people he should bully, date and avoid like the plague... But more importantly, he could read people. Read their emotions, their feelings- he could predict their actions, a skill that had saved his skin too many times to count.

And this was how he _knew_ that Sam Evans wasn't telling the entire truth when he talked about Kurt. He just _knew_ that the _stupid lemon headed _blonde had a thing for the soprano. It was _disgusting_. It was _wrong_. It made Dave feel _physically sick_ even thinking about the two of them together... the problem was, the reason he felt this wasn't merely the result of the homophobia that had been drilled into the jock, by his parents, since the age of seven when his cousin had come out of the closet.

Every night he'd stood on the staircase, watching the two scream down the phone at Jeremy and his new boyfriend. The names they called him... he knew that day that he could never let himself turn out that way. He _Dave Karofsky_ wouldn't make the same 'mistake' of being gay- he'd been a child at the time. He'd been naive. He'd actually believed that he could just _choose_ not to be gay. He'd been so very _wrong_. It wasn't something you could decide, it was decided for you. As the years had passed by, Dave had realised that the reason those nights had scared him so much was because deep down, he had always known he was different. He was g... NO!

He wasn't gay. He was straight- he had a girlfriend. Sure she lived in Canada now but he still saw her...sometimes...occasionally...okay fine he didn't see her. He'd broken up with her the moment he'd found out she was moving. It had, to be honest, been a relief. Grace had been sweet. He hadn't enjoyed lying to her about who he was, about everything... she deserved a lot better than he would ever be able to give to her.

The truth was, Dave secretly hated who he'd become. He wanted to be different... be more like Sam Evans. The 'hot' 'sexy' 'dreamy' (God those cheerios that Azimo had been hanging round with lately were shallow) blonde who'd blown up a storm in McKinley. He was quarterback, popular, maybe not the sharpest of people but apparently 'looking like an Adonis' made up for that. Hell, he was even managing to be in stupid dorky Glee Club and was almost making it look... awesome. Glee club was NOT cool! It was meant to _ruin_ reputations, not make the entire school get taken in even further by the 'Evans charm'. He was just so freakin' perfect.

Smug bastard. Karofsky often dreamed of meeting the Ken-style jock in a dark alleyway and unleashing the full force of 'the fury' on him. It was the only thing keeping him sane as he watched and waited, observing how, slowly, the blonde grew closer to a certain brunette. He was certain that Sam didn't go to the Glee Club because of his mother's wishes. The other guys of the team may have bought the whole 'Mum's forcing me- I actually hate Glee' facade but he was no idiot.

He saw the way the blonde's eyes sparkled whenever Kurt entered a room; he noticed how much Sam laughed when he was in the soprano's presence- Come on! How obvious can you get? He wished he could say it was one-sided. He tried to pretend this was the case. To pretend that he didn't notice how close the two always stood, how much time they spent together, the way Kurt teased the blonde about his dorky Avatar obsession but secretly found it cute, the way the brunette's soft lips usually curved themselves into a stunning smile when he was in the blonde's presence. He _hated_ it. He wanted it to _stop_.

Kurt deserved someone a lot less douche-like. Someone more real, more honest, braver... let's face it; Sam was the biggest coward to ever set foot through the doors of McKinley. The only exception to that rule being himself. Ironic really, that the two most cowardly boys in the school were both interested in the bravest man ever to walk through the hallways of Mckinley. Yes, the cheerio was completely and utterly out of his league, not that everyone else saw it that way.

To them he was just a 'fag,' a 'homo,' a 'freak'. Hearing those words _hurt_. Saying them was _agonising_. Seeing the hurt in the brunette's eyes every time he pushed or shoved him around, every time he insulted him, every time he caused him pain- it made him want to go hide in a dark alleyway, curl up in a corner, and cry uncontrollably. Being in the closest sucked, however the alternative wasn't much better.

He hated saying the words, but he could survive them as long as they were never directed at _him_. He was selfish. Insulting others to save his own skin. It made him feel empty inside as he watched those two grow ever closer, daily torturing himself as he watched them chatting and laughing and singing. Dave wished he had the courage to join them instead of merely remaining as an observer- the audience to some sort of twisted play.

_Laughter_. The jock could recognise it anywhere- it's Kurt. He was with the blonde bimbo again. _What the hell does he see in him? What makes that blonde douche so damn special? _He noted the moment when the blonde noticed that they were being observed and clutched slightly on the soprano's arms, showing his possessive streak as he glared at the jock. Karofsky feigned casualness, as if he wasn't currently plotting the slow and painful death of a certain dumb blonde. His thoughts raced as he watched the two grin at each other; _So that douche thinks Kurt's his? Like he belongs to him or something. Who the hell does that guy think he is? Still, they don't seem to be dating yet. Maybe the 'Evans charm' isn't quite as effective as he'd like people to think._ Karofsky smirked slightly as he grabbed his books and headed to class...and if he shoved a certain blonde douche into his locker on the way to the science rooms, well it was nobody else's business.

I_AM_A_LINE_I_PROMISE_I_JUST_GET_DELETED_ A_LOT_BY_FANFICTION_SORRY_BOUT_THAT

Sam was really paranoid about Karofsky. _Really_ paranoid. Ever since that talk he'd had with Dave and the other guys on the team, he'd felt more aware of the other jock. Like he'd _know_ if Karofsky was there, if he was watching... he was always watching. It was more than a bit disconcerting. The worst part was he _knew_ that he wasn't the object of focus for the other jock. No, the bully's eyes always remained fixed on one person; Kurt Hummel.

At first Sam had assumed that this observation was just a part of the jock's usual torture, like a way to psyche him out and scare him, just another form of torment. He had quickly dismissed this idea when he'd noticed how the jock ensured that he was never caught watching the two of them. He always turned away just a bit too fast to be caught. But Sam _knew_ he was watching. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end whenever the jock's attention turned to them, a feeling that only increased in intensity in the few moments that the jock's eyes flickered to him.

That was another thing that concerned him. Everyone assumed that Karofsky was just a meathead (or in Kurt's opinion a 'Neanderthal') but the dude was smarter than people thought. The knowing looks he got whenever he met the jocks gaze terrified him. All of his life he'd worked so hard to 'fit in' and be 'normal' but now, a few words from the jock could change things forever. He couldn't let that happen... yet. He wasn't ready.

But the looks he received were nothing compared to the looks the jock gave Kurt. He glared at him like the soprano was some kind of demon but watched the brunette's every move like a stalker would. It was more than a little bit creepy. Sam felt this huge rush of protectiveness whenever he knew the other jock was watching. He always tried to make some kind of contact with Kurt, pull him away from his tormentor, touch his arm in a 'friendly' way, stand that little bit closer to him, hug him whenever he could... he always made sure to glare at Karofsky as he did this. He never actually said any words but the message was clear; _Back the hell off Karofksy. I won't let you hurt him_.

What was really weird was how the guy reacted whenever he saw the blonde and brunette together. He would tense up; send Sam a death glare and then storm away- most likely to look for a slushy and an unsuspecting freshman to relieve his frustrations. It confused Sam a bit. It wasn't as if Karofksy would care if the blonde lost 'what makes him a dude' _that_ much. From what he'd gathered, the jock hated Sam. But what _else_ could it be? The looks he gave were almost jealous, as if... No. This was Karofksy, the biggest homophobe on the planet. There was no way that he batted for the other team, and _no way_ that he was interested in Kurt.

A small part of the blonde's brain told him this might be denial- he pointedly ignored that part, choosing instead to focus on the stunning brunette in front of him who was talking animatedly about the shopping trip he, Mercedes and Quinn had taken during the weekend, grinning as Kurt mentioned the huge row he'd had with one of the sales people when they'd been rude to Quinn- apparently the woman was a past conquest of Puck's.

What was interesting was that, unknown to the ex-cheerio, the reason that this girl had been so rude to Quinn was that she was jealous of her- apparently the self-proclaimed badass wasn't sleeping around so much these days due to 'emotional stuff' which the girl had taken to mean as he still cared for his baby momma. Well, it _was _possible. What made him grin was how protective the brunette was of those he cared for; it was a very _attractive_ quality, as if he needed any other reasons to fall for Kurt.

The two were laughing when a sudden push shoved Sam into the lockers beside them.

"What the hell man? What's your problem?" Cold eyes met his and Sam felt a sense of pride in the fact that he was able to fight his instincts to run as far away as possible.

"You're my problem Evans. You may have managed to fool the other guys, but I see you Blondie. I know the _real_ reason that you were so eager to join Glee Club. Tell me, does lady face here know?" Kurt bristled slightly at the unwanted nickname but his eyes filled with confusion as he considered the jock's words. "I'll bet he doesn't. Let's face facts here. You continue to hang with Hummel here and everyone's gonna start saying things. You _know_ that. It's why you pretend you're one of us. To save your own skin. But I know the truth. You're a douche, a pathetic little gleek, and most of all... you're a coward Evans..."

"Yeah well you're not exactly brave either are you? You spend your time tormenting others just to make yourself feel better. You push others down just because you can't face how pathetic you really are." Both boys turned to look at a fuming Kurt, one with a look of awe and pure adoration in his eyes, one with a slightly hurt look, cleverly masked by a layer of anger.

"Sam is not a coward; he's actually very brave because most guys wouldn't even be seen dead with someone like me because 'it would hurt their rep'. Even my own stepbrother was hesitant to connect with me at first because of how you meatheads treat everyone at this school..." Kurt looked down at the floor for a few seconds, trying to calm himself down a bit, smiling slightly as he felt a warm hand grasp his in support.

"If Sam has another reason for joining the Glee Club that he hasn't told me then I'll assume that it's a good one. I'm not going to force him to tell me anything. That would be cruel and well, I'm no _bully_." Karofsky seemingly in shock as a result of the soprano's little outburst, remained speechless as Kurt dragged Sam away to class, staring after them in a blank, almost mindless way.

I_AM_A_LINE_I_PROMISE_I_JUST_GET_DELETED_ A_LOT_BY_FANFICTION_SORRY_BOUT_THAT

Quinn waved at Sam and Kurt as they walked into the science lab, raising an eyebrow as she noted how the two were holding hands. As if they'd read her mind somehow, both teens suddenly became aware of the contact and pulled their hands apart as if they'd been shocked by some kind of electricity. The female blonde fought hard to resist the urge to smack her head on the desk in front of her. Those two really were _clueless_.

The class half listened as Mr Walker rambled on about positive and negatively charged ions... or something along those lines. No one really bothered to pay attention to the lessons anymore. Since Mr Walker's wife had left him, he'd been a bit of a train wreck. All he did now was read out of the textbook... needless to say, by not really listening to their teacher, they weren't really missing out on much.

The blonde absentmindedly played with her hair as her thoughts drifted. She was broken out of her daze when she felt her phone vibrate. Sneaking her phone out of her pocket, she flipped open the screen to reveal a text from Mercedes.

_Hey Q. How's science? Slowly losing the will to live yet? History right now is full of all kinds of drama. 'Satan' and Puck just had a huge fight. S says he won't 'put out'- she was not happy. P says he likes some1 else... would u know anything bout this? Cedes x_

The blonde let out a sigh as she noted Mercedes attempts _yet again_ to match make her and a certain mowhawked boy together. Although, despite herself, she found herself smiling as she read about Santana getting turned down. She felt the light airy feeling of hope bubble in her stomach as she allowed her mind to consider the words.

_Hey M. I think even Mr W is hating the lesson 2day- it's really bad. Wish I'd taken History with you; sounds way more fun. S and P had a fight? Huh. And no Cedes, I don't know anything. It's probs just one of his cougars that he took a shine to or something. Quinn x_

_Yeah keep telling urself that Q. It's obvious he still likes u! On 2 another subject, u said u wanted 2 talk 2 me about something. Spill. Neither of us are gonna learn anything this lesson anyway. Mr R has taken San and Puck to Principal Figgins so we have no teacher and you're not going to miss much if you spend ur lesson texting, Mr W isn't exactly the best teacher is he? Talk to me. Cedes x_

Quinn's grin morphed into a smirk as her mind wandered to her 'master plan'. _Time to find out if Cedes is willing to help me out with this. After all, she knows Kurt way better than I ever will. I swear if that boy was straight, him and Cedes would be soul mates. _She quickly covered her phone screen as Mr Walker turned to look at her for the answer to a question. Answering it quickly, she waited for the teacher to turn away again before typing out a reply.

_It's you who needs to get facts straight Cedes, he doesn't like me- I'd know if he did. Moving on, yes I wanted to talk 2 you about my genius plan to get Sam and Kurt 2gether. I call it operation; make blonde jock and brunette diva realise their feelings for each other so Kurt can finally get a boyfriend (or Operation; MBJABDRTFFEOSKCFGAB for short- I couldn't really think of anything. U got any ideas?). Point is, those 2 are meant 2 be- we have to help them realise that though, they couldn't be more clueless. U in? Quinn x_

_Just promise me this isn't some crazy plan like that blind date u set me up on. And names? Well Operation : Hevans? Thought it had a nice ring to it (it's like a celeb couple name for them). If not, we can decide the name another time. What's the plan? I'm half-worried, half-intrigued about what u might have thought of. Just answer me this, will your plan actually work? Cedes x_

Quinn cringed slightly at the memory of how the last of her master plans had turned out. Yes, the blind date she'd sent Mercedes on hadn't been one of her finest moments. Still, at the time she hadn't realised that Jason had less personality than a stick of celery. The diva still hadn't forgiven her for _that night_. To be honest, she couldn't blame her friend. She'd decided to spend some time in his company as an apology and... wow. She had no idea a person could actually be so... dull. Still, this plan would turn out a lot better, she was sure of it!

_Cedes u wound me. How could u doubt my genius plans? Don't worry, this plan is foolproof .Here's how it's gonna work..._

Quinn continued to text Mercedes, completely unaware of the conversation taking place behind her between the two subjects of her texts.

"Look Kurt, he's a jerk but a jerk with fists that he knows how to use. You're the only guy I know who's been brave enough to stand up to him, you're like the bravest guy I know."

"Bravery comes in many different forms Sam. I meant what I said in the hall, you _are_ brave... you're also very sweet. Thanks for being there for me while I ranted, I appreciated the support."

"Any time Kurt. I mean it. You were my only real friend before I moved away and now I'm back, you're my best friend again. I'll always be there for you. You're like family to me." Sam cringed slightly at his choice of words. _Great. Now He'll think that I see him as a brother or something_.

"You mean a lot to me too Sam." It was barely a whisper but Sam heard it, allowing a smile to stretch across his face as he processed the words.

Behind them, forgotten but still there, a certain jock watched as a pale flush darkened the soprano's cheeks, staring at the colour in interest. Then scowling as he reminded himself who was causing the flush. Sam freakin' Evans. He continued to watch the two, telling himself repeatedly that the feelings he felt were just of rage or disgust, not of jealousy... if only he could believe himself.

I_AM_A_LINE_I_PROMISE_I_JUST_GET_DELETED_ A_LOT_BY_FANFICTION_SORRY_BOUT_THAT

"Hey Karofsky! HEY! I'm talking to you!" Dave scowled as he took in the blonde who had chased after him.

"What you want Evans? Upset cause your little boyfriends not with you or something..."

"Dude what is wrong with you? You're acting like a stalker! You won't stop following us, you stare at Kurt all the damn time, you glare at me every time I show him any kindness, you threaten to tell the whole damn school 'my secret', whatever the hell that's meant to be, but you haven't done it already... so what is it? Tell me. Cause to me it just looks like you got yourself a crush on McKinley's ex-kicker..." Karofsky's eyes flared with anger as he listened to the blonde's words.

"Shut the hell up douche bag before I make you! I don't have a crush on any dude! I'm not some pansy like you Evans..."

"Really? Because you're being very defensive for someone who's straight." He was met with the sight of the other jock raising his fist to strike but, thankfully for him, Beiste had chosen that moment to walk down the hallway.

"Karofsky! If you lay a hand on our quarterback, you're off the team and same for you if you injure Karofksy, Evans. I'm not gonna make you guys like each other but you sure as hell have to deal with each other. You're both on my team- I will not let your personal differences interfere with how you play. If I find out either of you has injured the other so they can't play anymore, you're gonna wish you hadn't crossed me. We clear?" Both boys nodded, waiting until Beiste had left before continuing their conversation.

"Look dude. I'm gonna make this real simple so even you can understand it... _back the hell off_. He's not interested and he never will be. So leave him alone... or I will make you wish you'd listened to me. Being kicked off the football team won't stop me. If you harm Kurt in any way... you _will_ suffer."

And with that Sam walked away from a furious Karofksy, feeling a weird sense of triumph. He had no idea what had given him the courage to stand up to the jock, but he was almost certain it had everything to do with a certain brunette. Kurt said earlier that he thought Sam was _brave_. He'd wanted to prove him right... and while what he'd just done was the single most terrifying thing he'd ever done, he'd felt this huge rush of adrenaline while he'd confronted the other jock. It had been an incredible feeling.

I_AM_A_LINE_I_PROMISE_I_JUST_GET_DELETED_ A_LOT_BY_FANFICTION_SORRY_BOUT_THAT

Students practically flung themselves out of the way as a red-faced jock stormed across the hallway.

SMASH. "Out of the way losers!"BANG "Get a life No Directions."THUD "You're so lame I almost feel sorry for you."SLAM. BANG. CRASH...

The few members of Glee club standing in the corridor exchanged confused glances as their attacker continued to storm through the hallways.

"I know that Karofsky's usually a dick. But this is just a whole 'nother level of dickiness."

Quinn rolled her eyes at the comment. _Dickiness Puck? Really?_

WHAM. The Glee club cringed at the sound of the locker room door being flung open, all of them remaining blissfully unaware of who was behind those doors. None of them really would have expected Kurt to be there anyway. How were they meant to know that Sue's new strategies to get Coach Beiste fired involved snooping around the locker rooms for information about tactics to leak to the other teams? Even if they had known, would they really have guessed that Kurt would end up being the unlucky cheerio who was left to carry out the task? If they'd known, maybe things would have turned out differently...

The group hurried off to class, missing the sounds of yelling coming from the locker room, missing the clanging sound as Karofsky punched the lockers in frustration, missing the jock running out of the locker room on another rampage, grabbing a very unlucky freshman and hurling them across the room, missing the blotchy eyed Kurt that emerged five minutes later- pale white and shaking, missing the moment when the fragile boy collapsed in shock. The last thing the soprano saw was a pair of warm eyes filled with concern. _Sam Evans_. Suddenly, Kurt felt a lot safer.

**A/N: So what did you think? Good? Bad? Hating me now because I left it at a cliffhanger-ish? Let me know! Oh and I'm curious to know; What do you think Quinn's 'master plan' will involve? I'd love to hear your theories. And what do you think of Karofsky in this chapter? Let me know :D.**

**Also who's seen the promo for 'Blame it on the Alcohol'? Anyone else want to slap Rachel- or hurt her in some way? No? Okay just me then. Seriously, Kurt's her friend- she knows how he feels about Blaine... and so does Blaine. *Smacks head on keyboard in frustration*... however if Sam and Kurt were to kiss during spin the bottle, I may just forgive them *crosses fingers*.**

**I'm still excited to see the episode overall though! And it will be nice to see Kurt and Blaine again (I missed them last episode). And then... another two weeks until the next episode ****. Why do we keep on getting these annoying two week breaks between episodes? It's frustrating!**

**Thanks again to everyone who has read this. You are all amazing! I might just- if I get enough reviews asking me to- update early this week. We shall see.**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	13. Duets and Drama

**A/N: You lot are amazing! 7 reviews already since I posted that last chapter? *goes into shock* WOW *comes out of shock and works butt off to post chapter early this week*. You're all amazing! There are not words for how awesome you all are! Thank you so much! Thank you to everyone who had alerted or favourited this story you amazing people- I still can't believe how popular this story is becoming! And a HUGE thank you goes to **_**ChimeBells**_**, **_**Harry Fado**_**, **_**Onyx Nailo**_**,**_** sydg813,**__**JustAStrangerPassingBy **_**and **_**renpen88 **_**(x2)**__**for your amazing reviews! They really motivated me to work that bit harder to post this chapter. Also a major thank you to **_**KennyIsOrange**_** whose ninja-like beta skills are the reason I was able to update again so quickly. I'll warn you- it's another long chapter. Again, it's the longest to date. Hope you like it! Enjoy!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**

_What have I done? Please wake up Kurt, please. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have gotten him angry. He's right, I really am a coward. I didn't do anything heroic, I just made him mad then practically ran away, leaving you to his mercy. God Kurt. What has he done to you? You looked so pale, you were shaking, and you looked so... scared. I've never seen you like that. I hate that it's my fault. Whatever he did to you will be my fault. I provoked him. I'm so sorry, I'm so, so, sorry Kurt. Please wake up. I don't know what I'd do without you... Please._

Sam sat next to Kurt in the nurse's office, trying to hold back tears as he studied the brunette's expressionless face. He absentmindedly drew comforting circles on the boy's wrist, relieved that he could still feel the pulse beating steadily.

_Where the hell is the nurse? Kurt could be seriously hurt here! What is wrong with this school? I may have hated my old school but at least I could rely on the nurse when I needed her. This place is like a hell- a place where I can't be myself, where Kurt gets hurt for being himself, where no one, except a select few people, actually seems to give a damn about the way he is treated... It's not fair._

The blonde unconsciously started thinking out loud as he got lost in his thoughts "I don't know what to think, what to say, what to do. My whole life has pretty much been a mess in all areas save the ones which include you, Kurt. I can't lose that sanity. Hell, the only time I ever seem to have any direction in life is when I'm with you. I need you. You've been such an incredible friend to me and..." The blonde cursed himself as he realised he couldn't even finish the thought, he tried to ignore the stray tears now slowly rolling down his cheeks.

"And what? You can't just leave it there Sam. I was just getting interested..." Kurt didn't manage to finish his sentence as he was suddenly hugged with so much force that the air was knocked from his lungs.

"Kurt! Thank God you're okay. I was so worried, I saw you pass out and brought you here but the nurse was gone and I thought... I thought..." The blonde knew that he probably looked a bit pathetic right now, he was certain he'd grimace at this later when he was thinking straight... but right now he wasn't even able to string a full sentence together. He'd never, in his entire life, felt so overwhelmingly _relieved_.

"It's okay, you're okay, and I'm okay. We're fine." The brunette whispered into the blonde's ear as he continued to cling onto Kurt like a lifeline. Eventually he calmed down and, reluctantly, moved out of Kurt's embrace. He studied the soprano, noting that his skin was much less pale now and he seemed calmer.

"What happened Kurt? What did Karofsky do?" Kurt's eyes widened slightly.

"How did you..."

"I saw his rampage after he'd left the locker rooms. When I saw you come out after him... I was terrified. And then you passed out. You were pale and shaking and I...What did he do to you?"

The brunette tensed a little as he recalled what had happened. "I can't Sam. I need some time to process this. I _will_ tell you. I_ promise_. When I'm ready, you'll be the first person to know. Just... right now, I really don't want to think about it." Kurt offered a weak smile which Sam returned. The blonde reached for his hand, causing his smile to widen slightly as he squeezed it before allowing their fingers to interlink.

"I can wait... But, if it's okay with you, I don't really want to go to class now. We have different lessons and... I don't want to leave you alone right now." Kurt curled into his friend's side.

"I don't mind. I don't really want to be alone right now either. Mr Shue will understand." The two sat in a comfortable silence, trying not to think of what had occurred just half an hour ago in the locker room. Neither were succeeding though.

"Kurt? You know I'll protect you right? Whatever that asshole did won't happen again. I won't let it. I promise." A quiet 'thanks' was the only response he got as the two sat there for the rest of what would have been their final lesson before Glee, Sam still tracing comforting circles into Kurt's palm and the brunette leaning into him, relishing in the comfort from sitting so close to the blonde. It was far too soon when the two heard the bell signalling that it was time for Glee.

I_AM_A_LINE_I_PROMISE_I_JUST_GET_DELETED_ A_LOT_BY_FANFICTION_SORRY_BOUT_THAT

"Okay so we're still doing duets... where's Sam and Kurt?" Mr Shue's brow crinkled slightly in confusion as he noted the absence of two of the club. The two that hadn't missed a single meeting since they'd joined the club- the only other people who'd managed that were Rachel and, surprisingly, Santana. It seemed that the Latina cared for the club more than she usually let on. He felt a surge of relief when he saw the two walk through the choir room doors... holding hands? That was an interesting development. He smiled at Sam's apology before telling the pair to take a seat.

_So Sam and Kurt? Who'd have thought Sam played for the other team? I'll have to keep an eye out in case the football team give them any hassle. Kurt already has enough to deal with as it is...I might be getting ahead of myself here. There's no proof that they're together... still, it should be interesting to see which Katy Perry number those two have chosen for their duet._

"So everyone's here. Let's get this show on the road then, I know that Mike and Brittany wanted to perform their number so, take it away you two." The pair gave each other a smile before moving to take their places beside the piano.

"Hi everyone. Um... I'm not the best with speaking as you all probably know... I think Finn actually thought I was a mute until I'd joined Glee Club." Mike offered a smile as a few of the Glee kids laughed at this, while Finn mock-glared at the Asian. "But before we perform our duet, I wanted to clear some things up... Brit and I are _not_ dating. We never were, we never will. We're like family ...and I'm not into incest..." Mike stopped for a second, realising that he was rambling. "My point is, I don't know who started the rumours but they're not true." He looked pointedly and Mercedes and Santana who both looked a little uncomfortable. It was true that no one knew who'd started the rumours, but everyone knew who'd spread them around.

" The only reason that the two of us spent so much time together over the last few weeks is because Tina was spending all her time with Artie and Brit didn't get to see Santana because she was spending so much time with Finn. So yeah, we hung out. But that's it! I would _never_ cheat on anyone." Quinn, Finn, Puck and Santana all studied various spots on the floor or walls as Mike continued. "It's stupid to do so if you love the person you're cheating on. And if you don't love them, then what's the point in being in that relationship? So yeah, no offence to those who disagree. All I'm trying to say is... Tina. Nothing has happened between me and Brit. Nothing ever will happen... I love you." Tina smiled a dazzling smile as she heard _those words_. The one's that everyone wanted to hear..._ 'I Love You'_. Artie watched the interaction with an approving smile, nodding slightly at Mike when their eyes met.

"Okay, so now we're gonna perform our duets number. Hope you guys like it. We decided to play to our strengths in this contest so we chose an up-beat number. Also Brit loves the song so... hope you enjoy it."

Mike nodded to the band and the drums kicked in. Most of the Glee Club's eyes lit up in recognition of the song that the pair had chosen. Brittany started the song, her eyes drifting from her Duets partner to Santana. The group suddenly realised the _real_ reason they had chosen the song.

_Brittany: You change your mind_

_Like a girl changes clothes_

_Yeah you, PMS_

_Like a bitch_

_I would know_

_And you, Over-think_

_Always speak, Cryptically_

_I should know_

_That you're no good for me_

As Brittany sung, the two moved in a complex routine matching the pulse of the song perfectly and suiting the uplifting style of the music.

_Mike: Cause you're hot then you're cold_

_You're yes then you're no_

_You're in and you're out_

_You're up and you're down_

Half the room's jaws dropped. Mike could sing? And he could sing really well? His voice had a nice ring to it which suited the song choice well and he had this _presence_ about him as he performed. How hadn't they noticed this before? Mr Shue was already considering possible songs for sectionals that might suit the jock's voice. It might be nice to have someone other than Finn sing the male lead for sectionals. And maybe Santana or Mercedes instead of Rachel? Will considered these possibilities as the pair continued to sing.

_Brittany: You're wrong when it's right_

_It's black and it's white_

_We fight, we break up_

_We kiss, we make up_

_Mike: You!_

_Brittany: You don't really want to stay, no_

_Mike: You!_

_Brittany: But you don't really want to go-oh_

_Mike: You're hot then you're cold_

_You're yes then you're no_

_Brittany: You're in and you're out_

_You're up and you're down_

Everyone smiled as Mike started to pop and lock during the brief instrumental. _This _was the Mike they were used to. Brittany began to sing as the jock continued to move in intricate patterns that the other members of Glee Club couldn't even hope to imitate.

_Brittany: We used to be_

_Just like twins_

_So in sync_

_The same energy_

_Now's a dead battery_

_Brittany: Used to laugh (Mike: used to laugh)_

_Bout nothing (bout nothing)_

_Now your plain (now your plain)_

_Boring (boring)_

_I should know (I should know)_

_you're not gonna change (change)_

Brittany sung these lyrics whilst facing Mike but it was obvious that she was directing them at her slightly ashamed best friend. _I didn't realise I'd been neglecting her so much. I'll have to make it up to her this weekend. I feel awful, I was so focused on the 'Puck problem' I just didn't think... I never wanted to hurt her._ The dancing blonde offered her a gentle forgiving smile before getting focusing on the song again.

_Mike: Cause you're hot then you're cold_

_You're yes then you're no_

_You're in and you're out_

_You're up and you're down_

_Brittany: You're wrong when it's right_

_It's black and it's white_

_We fight, we break up_

_We kiss, we make up_

_Brittany: You!_

_Mike: You don't really want to stay, no (Brittany: woah)_

_Brittany: You!_

_Mike: But you don't really want to go-oh (Brittany: ohhh)_

_Brittany: You're hot then you're cold_

_You're yes then you're no (Mike: no!)_

_You're in and you're out_

_You're up and you're down (Mike: you're down!)_

During the instrumental, the two ran moved up the stairs, all eyes following them as they performed a few complex moves.

_Brittany: Someone call the doctor_

_Got a case of a love bi-polar_

_Mike: Stuck on a roller coaster_

_Can't get it off this ride_

_Brittany: You change your mind_

_Like a girl changes clothes_

Without warning the two grabbed the hands of their fellow Glee club members, encouraging them to join in the number. Before the end of the chorus, everyone was on their feet enjoying the music and singing along. Happy grins stretched across each of their faces as they sung.

_Brittany and the girls: Cause you're hot then you're cold_

_You're yes then you're no_

_You're in and you're out_

_You're up and you're down_

_Mike and the guys: You're wrong when it's right (Brittany: When it's right)_

_It's black and it's white_

_We fight, we break up_

_We kiss, we make up (Brittany: We make up)_

_Glee Club: You're hot then you're cold (Brittany and Mike: Ohhhhhhhhhhhh)_

_You're yes then you're no_

_You're in and you're out (Mike: Oh!)_

_You're up and you're down (Brittany: Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh)_

_Glee Club: You're wrong when it's right_

_It's black and it's white (Brittany: Oh!)_

_We fight, we break up_

_We kiss, we make up_

_Glee Club: You!_

_Mike: You don't really want to stay, no (Brittany: woah)_

_Glee Club: You!_

_Brittany: But you don't really want to go-oh (Mike: ohhh)_

_Brittany and Mike: You're hot then you're cold (Glee Club: Cold)_

_Mike: You're yes then you're no (Glee Club: No)_

_Brittany: You're in and you're out_

_Brittany and Mike: You're up and you're down (Glee Club: Dooooown)_

The group started high-fiving one another as the number ended. Sam turned to see Kurt's happy smile and felt a huge rush of gratitude towards the two dancers for taking his mind off whatever Karofsky had done to him.

"Okay that was great guys. It was a nice touch bringing in the rest of the club at the end too. Not technically a duet, but I'll let that slide. Very impressive! I think we have time for one more number. So..." Santana and Finn raised their hands "Okay you two. Let's hear what you've got."

The pair walked into their positions, waiting for the rest of the club to sit back down before beginning to sing.

_Santana: Yeah eh yeah yeah  
I can feel a phoenix inside of me  
As I march alone to a different beat  
Slowly swallowing down my fear, yeah yeah_

Finn: I am ready for the road less travelled  
Suiting up for my crowning battle  
This test is my own cross to bear  
But I will get there  


The tone of the song surprised the club. They'd been expecting some kind of flirty 'sexed up' number- like 'Push It; the duets edition', but instead this was quite a deep meaningful song. One thing that made people listen more intently was the raw emotion in their voices, especially in Santana's... it was stunning.

_Finn: It's never easy to be chosen, never easy to be called  
Santana: Standing on the front line when the bombs start to fall  
Finn: I can see the heavens but I still hear the flames  
Santana: Calling out my name_

Both: I can see the writing on the wall  
I can't ignore this war  
At the end of it all  
Who am I living for?  


Their voices blended in a beautiful melodic way that added another layer of meaning to the already beautiful song. Mr Shue couldn't help but be drawn in by the performance. He wondered if he could convince Santana and Mike to perform the opening number at regionals... all he had to do now was pick out a song by Journey that they hadn't covered yet.

_Finn: I can feel this light that's inside of me  
Growing fast into a bolt of lightning  
I know one spark will shock the world, yeah yeah_

Santana: So I pray for a favor like Esther  
I need your strength to handle the pressure  
I know there will be sacrifice  
But that's the price

Finn: It's never easy to be chosen, never easy to be called  
Santana: Standing on the front line when the bombs start to fall  
Finn: I can see the heavens but I still hear the flames  
Santana: Calling out my name

Both: I can see the writing on the wall  
I can't ignore this war  
At the end of it all  
Who am I living for?

I can see the writing on the wall  
I can't ignore this war  
At the end of it all  
Who am I living for?

Finn: At the end, at the end  
Santana: Who am I living for?  
Finn: At the end, at the end  
Santana: Who am I living for?

Rachel was stunned by the improvement in Santana's vocal ability since she'd last heard her. She was so much more emotive now, it was good... too good. It was almost to her standards. She noticed the glint in Mr Shue's eye as he studied the pair and felt a sudden rush of nerves. _He wouldn't give my solo away to her would he? He knows that we can't win if I don't have a solo surely? He's probably just proud of how she's improved. Finn and I are the leads, Mr Shue's not about to change that... is he?_

Finn: Heavy is the head that wears the crown  
Don't let the greatness get you down  
Both: Heavy is the head that wears the crown  
Don't let the greatness get you down (Santana: oh oh yeah)

Santana: I can see the writing on the wall  
I can't ignore this war  
At the end of it all  
Who am I living for?

Both: I can see the writing on the wall  
I can't ignore this war  
At the end of it all  
Who am I living for?

Finn: At the end, at the end  
Santana: Who am I living for?  
Finn: At the end, at the end  
Santana: Who am I living for?

As Santana's final note faded, it was met with a large round of applause from the Glee Club. Will had a huge grin on his face as he congratulated the pair. "Okay so the competition is getting pretty tough now. Next week we'll hear from our final two pairs. Quinn and Rachel and Kurt and Sam. I look forward to hearing what you've got in store for us. See you guys then."

The Glee club surged out of the doors, most of them chatting animatedly. Since most duets were now over, there was a lot less tension in the group then there had been previously. The weird thing was that the duets project did seem to be doing its job in bringing the Glee Club closer together. The only pair who hadn't made some kind of bond during the duets so far were Santana and Finn who were back to ignoring each other's existence now that they'd performed their duet. It was just _too_ awkward to spend time with each other after the whole; taking Finn's virginity in a motel to appease Sue Sylvester and make Rachel jealous fiasco.

Sam watched as the group left; seeing Mercedes give Kurt a quick hug and Finn tell his almost brother to apologise to Burt about missing dinner. Apparently Rachel was taking him to see a local production of a (in his words) musical with a name to do with money or something. Kurt had rolled his eyes, telling his stepbrother to have fun watching RENT and that he was very jealous. The soprano continued to smile as the last of the club left the room, only dropping the facade when everyone had left. Sam quickly stepped forward to embrace the brunette with a hug that was returned more than willingly.

"You ready to talk about it yet?" Their eyes met and Kurt saw the patience and understanding reflected in the blonde's wide eyes.

"Can we go home first? Then I'll talk." The drive back to Kurt's house was silent. Both boys lost in their own train of thought. The sudden stop of the car as Kurt parked in the driveway almost came as a shock to the pair. The brunette was incredibly surprised, but grateful, that he hadn't crashed considering how little attention he'd been paying to the roads.

The boys walked through the house, Kurt yelling through to Burt about Finn's plans with Rachel and how he was sorry that he'd miss dinner. Burt called back that it was fine as the pair travelled down the stairs to Kurt's bedroom.

Sam had always loved this room as it reflected the soprano's personality so well. Each and every little thing scattered around the room simply seemed to scream _Kurt_. From the vogue magazines scattered on the soprano's desk to the bright, yet stylish, colours splattered across the walls and floor. Not to mention the giant wardrobe filled with designer clothes from about 25 different designers. He recognised a few of the names from the brunette's rants on the difference between designers and his personal favourites. _Gucci, Prada, Marc Jacobs_.

What Sam loved most about this room was how it made a statement about who it's owner was. That was what made it so different from his own. His was basic, plain... to be honest a bit dull. Kurt's was exciting and 'vibrant' (he'd heard Kurt use the word when describing a VERY colourful shirt that he'd been trying to convince Sam to buy. He'd ended up buying it in the end when the soprano had pouted- it had been too cute to say no to). It was special, unique... it was _Kurt_.

But right now, his focus wasn't on the awesome room that he was in, but instead on the slightly broken looking boy in front of him.

"You ready to talk about it?" The brunette let out a shaky breath.

"Not really, but I will. I promised you I would so... hear it is"

_WHAM. Kurt shot up quickly from where he'd been leafing through tactic sheets, praying that it wasn't one of three particular jocks entering the locker room... Karofksy. Well this was why he didn't invest any faith in God. Look what good it did him when he tried to. SMACK. The brunette could already feel the bruise forming from where the jock had pushed him into the locker behind him. He saw red. He'd had enough of being pushed around by this Neanderthal. He wanted to stand up to him, to have courage, to be brave like Sam seemed to be convinced he was, to be the 'hero' that a young Sam Evans had described him as._

"_What is your problem?"_

"_Excuse me?" The dark look in the jocks eyes worried Kurt a little but he was too angry to stop now. He'd probably never find the courage to do this again if he did._

"_What are you so scared of?"_

"_Besides you sneaking in here to peek at my junk?" If he hadn't already been furious, that last comment would have done it. Why did guys always assume that gays were some kind of stalkers? And why were they always so smug as to assume that they'd be the ones that would attract those who were that way inclined anyway?_

"_Oh every straight guy's nightmare. That all us gays are secretly out to molest or convert you. Well guess what hamhock? You're not my type." Kurt thought he saw a flash of hurt flicker through Karofksy's eyes for a moment, but it was masked by anger before he could analyse the emotion._

"_That right?"_

"_Yeah. I don't dig on chubby boys who sweat too much and who are gonna be bald by the time they're thirty." The words rushed out of Kurt's mouth before he could reign them in. At this moment in time, even though he knew he'd probably end up as a walking bruise as a result of the insults, he couldn't bring himself to regret them. It was about time somebody stood up to him._

"_Do not push me Hummel!"_

"_You gonna hit me? Do it."_

"_Don't push me!" Kurt flinched slightly at the sound of the locker next to them being slammed shut, but he took a deep breath and continued._

"_Because it's not gonna change who I am. You can't punch the gay out of me any more than I can punch the ignoramus out of you!"_

"_GET OUT OF MY FACE!"_

"_You are nothing but a scared little boy who can't handle how extraordinarily ordinary you are!"_

_And with that Karofsky pulled Kurt towards him, kissing him fiercely and with what Kurt assumed was meant to be passion. The jock pulled away before leaning in for another kiss but the brunette's survival instincts seemed to kick in as he pushed the jock away, raising a hand to cover his lips in a defensive position. He watched in shock as the Neanderthal that had bullied him for his whole life stormed out of the room, punching the locker beside him in frustration before he left._

_Kurt felt sick. Dave Karofsky had just kissed him. Dave Karofksy was gay. The world started to spin slightly as everything he thought he knew about his tormentor came crashing down around him. Dave Karofsky liked him. Dave Karofsky... was going to make his life a living hell for rejecting him. He stumbled out of the locker room, feeling himself start to fall, his eyes beginning to close as he slowly lost all conscious thought. The last thing he saw was a pair of warm eyes filled with concern. Sam Evans. Suddenly, Kurt felt a lot safer._

"And the worst part is... he was my first kiss. Well, the first that mattered anyway. I'd always wanted that to be special. You know? I suppose yours was?"

"Actually no. It happened at a party. I was drunk, she wasn't. I was single and, as I found out later when her boyfriend 'defended her honour', she definitely wasn't." Sam searched his mind before he realised he'd never even really known who she was. "I don't even remember her name. Even the kiss itself wasn't that special so it's not just you whose dreams of that perfect first kiss got crushed." Kurt let out a shaky breath as Sam lifted his face so that his eyes met the blonde's. "The way I see it, neither of our first kisses really counted cause there was no real emotion in either of them..." he sighed before continuing. "One day, some guy out there is gonna fall in love with you and he's gonna make sure that when he kisses you it's _full_ of love. And _that _will be your _real_ first kiss. Okay?"

Kurt nodded before he drew the blonde into a tight hug, whispering the word 'thanks' into his best friend's ear. Sam clutched him back just as tightly, trying to remain calm and comforting on the outside as Kurt needed him right now. Internally he was _screaming_.

_How dare he do that? How dare he take Kurt's first kiss? He's a dead man! He's stolen from me the fantasy I've had, since the time I came to terms with my sexuality; of being Kurt's first kiss and he's terrified the brunette in the process. The amount of pain he's caused Kurt emotionally is unforgivable. He will PAY for this. Maybe it's time that Glee Club made a stand against the jerk. I wonder if I can get all the Glee guys ready to attack by football practise tomorrow... and as for how the other jocks might react? Screw the football team, screw my reputation and screw them too. Protecting Kurt is far more important. Karofksy. Prepare to die!_

**A/N: So what did you think? Gut? Nicht so gut? Confused at why I'm asking you this in German? So am I... oh well. I'd love to hear what your thoughts on this chapter are! Did you guess the duets for Mike, Britt, San and Finn? Can you guess the duets for Rachel, Quinn, Kurt and Sam? I'd love to hear your ideas!**

**Also should I put up a poll on my profile to decide which pair wins the duets contest? - it's an idea I'm considering so, if enough people want me to, I'll put the poll up on my profile so you can vote for the winners of that meal at Breadstix- I honestly don't mind who you lot vote for, I have plenty of ideas for each pair *laughs evilly*.**

**And I know I used the same dialogue that was used in 'Never Been Kissed'... My reasoning is, there's no way I could have made that scene any more amazing than it already was- I LOVE that scene... in a weird twisted sort of way, and I was worried about messing up the impact the scene makes if I reworded it. Hope that's okay with everyone!**

**Thank you to everyone who has read this chapter! It's very much appreciated! I'll probably go back to normal amounts of time between updates now (I'd love to update more often but life usually gets in the way- I still promise I'll update at least once a week though!). Thanks again for reading!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	14. Friendship, Fighting and Figgins

**A/N: Hey everyone! Here's the next chapter! Hope you like it! Thanks to everyone who has alerted/reviewed/favorited this story! You have no idea how much it inspires me to keep writing this! Special thanks go to **_**Onyx Nailo, gleekians, sygd813, sassy selena **_**and **_**JustAStrangerPassingBy**_** for their lovely reviews! Also massive thanks to my incredibly skilled beta; **_**KennyIsOrange**_**. With no further ado, the next chapter. Enjoy!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**

Mike, Artie, Puck and Finn sat in the locker room, confused as they watched the blonde pace in front of them. He'd called all of the guys, after he and Kurt had parted ways, telling them to meet in the locker room before school the next day. None of them had been particularly thrilled at the idea of being in school early, especially Puck who had claimed that it ruined his 'badass rep' to be early for anything, but Sam's voice had sounded slightly shaky when he'd made the calls and the group's concern for the jock overpowered their need for sleep. So there they sat, bleary eyed and a bit grouchy but ready to listen... when Sam was finally ready to stop his pacing and tell them what the problem was.

"Alright Evans what do you want? It better be important. I should be gettin' it on with Santana right now..." The room rolled their eyes at the mowhawked teen's comment.

"Shut it Puck, everyone knows you and her haven't been 'getting it on' for months. And Sam said it was serious. Go on Sam." Offering a smile of gratitude to Artie, the blonde breathed in deeply before beginning.

"Well basically I'm sure you've all noticed how bad the bullying has gotten for the Glee Club recently, in particular for Kurt, well... there's a reason for that. Dave Karofsky..."

"Yeah I noticed how that jerkass seems to stare at him like some kind of prey or something... it's pretty messed up." The room turned to stare at Puck.

"What? Is it so shocking that I notice these things?"

"Thought you'd be too busy with Santana or some other girl..." Finn started. He was still a little bitter from the way things had played out last year between him, Quinn and Puck. Secretly he could see that the two fit in a way he and Quinn never had but he still couldn't help but feel slightly bitter about the whole situation.

"Yeah? Well we all know the truth about that..." Puck looked down for a moment as thoughts of a certain angelic smile that had made it impossible to be with Santana or any other girl surfaced in his mind. "So yeah I notice more things now. You see more things if you've got nothing better to do. I know that Tina wants Mike to take her on a non-Asian related date and Rachel wants Finn to sing a duet from that play he saw with her. Something about 'telling you' or 'should I'? I dunno..." The jock noticed that the room had gone silent, all of the guys staring at Puck in disbelief. "What?"

"Okay so Puck has clearly been abducted and replaced with a decent and almost wise human being... weird." Mike playfully shoved said teen who pretended to be hurt by the comment. The smile on his face gave him away. "Moving on... Sam?"

"Yeah, anyway. Karofsky has got worse recently. Puck's right, he's been staring at Kurt a lot and surely you guys have seen how he's getting mad and going on rampages all the time?"

The guys all nodded, each having witnessed Karofksy in a rage... it wasn't pretty.

"Well, yesterday I confronted him about it. Yelled at him. Made him angry... I wish I hadn't. I..." He took another deep breath before continuing. _Why is this so hard to talk about? It didn't even happen to me and I still feel like a part of me has broken... the part that cares for Kurt? He's the one that's broken. Maybe I should be spending time with him instead of... no. I need to do this! And Mercedes and Quinn will look after him..._

He turned to survey the guys sat in the locker room, they all were looking pretty tense waiting for Sam to reveal what had happened. _I need to tell them... would Kurt want me to tell them? He might not. After all, it was such an awful experience for him. Maybe I should just say that Karofsky threatened him. That should get the same reactions out of the guys. Yeah, I'll keep the truth to myself for now. After all, this is Kurt's secret to tell..._

"He threatened Kurt. I don't know the specifics but he came out of the locker room pale white and shaking... he passed out in my arms." Sam shook his head a few times, trying to clear the image of an unconscious Kurt from his mind.

He'd had a nightmare last night that the brunette had never woken up. He'd just stayed pale white forever, unmoving, silent, empty... he'd woken up screaming. His mum had rushed in trying to 'comfort' him or something. He hated it when she treated him like that. Like he was a child or something. He'd told her to leave before lying down and closing his eyes. He hadn't slept again- unable to even consider it when that pale motionless face haunted his dreams.

"When he woke up, he seemed terrified of what Karofsky might do to him, whatever happened has scared him a lot. I don't even want to consider what that asshole may have done but we've gotta do something about it. This has gone too far!" The room filled with nodding heads and eyes blazing with anger at the thought of what might have happened to Kurt in the locker room. Finn noticed a dent in the locker beside him in the shape of a fist... he felt a little sick when he realised it hadn't been there yesterday. _God Kurt. What did he do to you?_

"So what's the plan?" Puck asked.

"I say we wheel Artie into him!" Artie paled slightly at the Asian's suggestion.

"I say we show _him_ what it's like to be thrown in the dumpster!" Finn could still remember the look of pain and humiliation in his almost brothers eyes every time they'd thrown him. It _hurt_ to remember how he hadn't always been a 'nice guy'. He was very grateful to Mr Shue and Glee Club for changing that but he still felt guilty, no matter how many times Kurt reassured him, for the way he had once treated the soprano that he now called family.

"I say we beat the shit out of him!" Anger blazed in the mowhawked boy's eyes at the thought of Kurt being so broken. Sure he used to bully him too but he'd never go _that_ far. Besides, he liked hanging with the boy now. He was kind of cool... in a slightly more girly way. And he kicked ass at kicking field goals and on video games! He was kind of Puck's _friend_ now. _No one_ hurt his friends... unless of course they had a death wish.

"I say we lock him in one of those porta-potties!" The group raised their eyebrows at Artie's comment. "What? Those things are _nasty_! Besides we could always tip it."

"Well I was gonna go with Puck's plan... But if it doesn't work we'll use the other ideas too. Right now I just want him to _hurt_. You guys come with me for backup. If the other guys try to defend him, keep them off my back. Karofksy is _mine_."

The guys all looked ready to protest until they saw the fierce protective look burning in the blonde jocks eyes. They all nodded their agreement.

"So when we gonna do this?"

"Football practise. Tonight. We stop him in here and have a little 'chat'."

With that, the five left the room, Mike and Finn leaving to search for their girlfriends and Artie and Puck leaving to have a quick jam session before school started.

Sam's eyes scanned the room spotting Kurt, looking as exhausted as he felt, half-heartedly discussing Rachel's lack of fashion sense with Mercedes and a frustrated looking Quinn. His tired looking eyes seemed to brighten slightly as he noticed the blonde jock approaching the group. _It's probably just me imagining it. Stop it Sam! He's got enough to deal with right now- he doesn't need to add one of his best friends having an unrequited crush on him to the list!_

He offered a smile to Kurt before pulling him to one side, ignoring the raised eyebrows and looks of confusion on Mercedes and Quinn's faces, he'd deal with them later. "You okay?"

"As I can be given the circumstances." Their hands linked once more, neither of them seeming to notice the action as it was becoming almost natural to do so. It felt _right_.

"It'll be okay. I'll be here. He's not gonna even touch you." The bell rang, sending students who were scattered across the hallways rushing off to their lessons. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be... let's go. You know that Ms Daniels will kill us if we're late for her class...again."

"Well I'm sorry if I got distracted that time. Talking to you is way more interesting than anything she'd have taught us anyway." Kurt offered a bright smile to the blonde before pulling him along the corridor in the direction of their classroom.

"Very sweet, but you're only saying that because you _hate_ maths." The brunette teased, laughing slightly at the look of disgust on the jock's face when he mentioned the subject.

"I still don't get why you _like_ maths. I don't even get the point in most of it. When will we ever need it really? I mean..."

The two continued to discuss the positive and negatives of the subject as they walked towards the classroom, both momentarily forgetting the events of yesterday and the jock that caused them and just enjoying each other's company. It was _nice_.

Halfway through the lesson, Karofsky sent Kurt a message, causing the brunette to pale before showing Sam. He squeezed the brunette's hand tightly before saving the message to Kurt's phone memory and placing it back in the soprano's bag. On the inside he was ready to _kill_. Karofsky was a _dead_ man. When he felt the brunette start to shake he asked the teacher if he could take Kurt to the nurse before pulling him out of the room and into a tight embrace, mumbling words of reassurance into Kurt's shoulder as the soprano sobbed and clung to the jock like a lifeline.

The text had read;

_You told that blonde douche about what happened. I saw. If you or him tells anyone else- you're dead. I will __**kill**__ you. So you better tell your boyfriend to shut it or I'll shut you up... permanently._

_Karofksy._

SAM_EVANS_KURT_HUMMEL_KUM_HEVANS_SAM_EVANS_KURT_HUMMEL_KUM_HEVANS_

"Alright everyone on the field running laps. And I don't want to hear no complaints! You want to win this year? You've got to work for it so get out there and get to work!" The locker room started to empty as the players rushed onto the field. Karofsky moved to follow them but was stopped by a neutral looking Puck and Mike. Other than the Glee guys, the only other people that now remained in the room were Azimo and Hunter who both looked in confusion as they watched the new guy, who had always seemed pretty cool, glaring daggers at Karofsky.

"What the hell losers? Let me through before I make you!" Mike's face remained fairly impassive at this comment and Puck merely raised an eyebrow. _Bring it douche. Or have you just remembered why I'm still known as badass in this hellhole?_

"Sorry no can do Karofsky... well I'm not exactly sorry. You hurt someone who's very important to us. You're gonna pay for that." The larger jock raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so? You're willing to lose your position on the team for this? You'll become a _nobody_. A _nothing. _You ready for that?" Sam just smiled.

"Yes. This is worth it. But, what about you? Are you ready to lose your popularity? Or are you scared that people will see you for what you truly are without the uniform and 'badass reputation' to hide behind." He quirked an eyebrow to remind the jock what he knew. What he would tell everyone if necessary.

"Don't push me Evans."

"Said the same thing to Kurt didn't you? Should I be worried?" He smirked as he saw the colour drain from Karofsky's face.

"Don't push me!" The look of fear in the jocks eyes gave the blonde a feeling of triumph. He was scared? _Good_.

"Why shouldn't I? What have I got to lose? A _lot_ less than you. Maybe it's you who shouldn't be pushing me?" The Glee guys exchanged confused glances as they listened to the pair talk. Clearly Sam knew more about what had happened than he'd told them. What _had_ happened in the locker rooms? What was it that was making the jock in front of them look so scared?

Azimo and Hunter looked even more confused. What the hell was wrong with Evans? Why was he defending that _fairy boy_ of all people. Had Sam gone gay? No. He still seemed straight enough. So what the hell was going on?

"Shut it Evans!" The blonde winced as he was slammed into the lockers, shoving the jock off him before sending a well aimed punch as Karofsky's jaw. Out of the corner of his eye he noted that Artie and Mike had teamed up to fight off Azimo and that Puck seemed to be inflicting some serious damage on Hunter.

His attention quickly returned to the jock in front of him when he felt the wind being forced out of his lungs as 'the fury' made impact with his chest. He took a moment to get his breath back, somehow dodging Karofsky's next attack before aiming another punch at the jocks nose, smirking slightly as he heard it snap. Sure his fist hurt like hell but, given the cry of rage and agony coming from the jock in front of him, he had caused Karofsky a great deal more pain than his hand was feeling at that moment.

Caught up in the fight, no one had even noticed Finn slip out just before the fight had begun and they all remained unaware of this until the sounds of the missing jock yelling a warning that Beiste was coming echoed through the room. Azimo, Artie, Mike, Puck and Hunter immediately let go of each other, straightening uniform and attempting to get rid of any evidence that they'd been fighting in the first place.

Sam and Dave, however, remained oblivious to their surroundings as Karofsky managed to shove the blonde to the ground causing Sam to let out a small moan of pain as his back made impact with the tiled floor. It was this sight that the female football coach walked in on.

"What the hell is going on in here? Karofsky! Evans! Break it up!" The larger jock moved away from the blonde reluctantly, hands moving to nurse his jaw and broken nose. Sam tried to sit up, wincing in pain as his stomach and back protested the movement. He could already feel where the bruises were going to appear tomorrow.

"Azimo, Hunter, Abrams, Chang, Puckerman, Hudson. Get yourselves onto that field and start running laps before I kick you all off my team." The six all hurried to leave, Puck and Mike helping the injured blonde to his feet before they left.

The three sat in silence until the sounds of the other jocks leaving faded. Both remaining jocks looked up, flinching slightly at the look of fury in the eyes of their football coach as she glared at both of them.

"Didn't I warn you what would happen if I caught the pair of you fighting? I told you guys. You are on a _team_. That means putting aside your differences and working together. Clearly neither of you seem to understand this concept... You're off the team. _Both_ of you."

"But coach I..." Karofsky looked terrified. He couldn't afford to lose his place on the team, his parents would _kill_ him.

"I don't want to hear excuses. You're both off the team. My word is final." The larger jock turned to face the slightly staggering blonde, fuming inside.

"Well done fag. Now we're both off the team! You happy gay boy? Now you can go and prance around with all of the other fairies in 'nude erections'..."

"Stop it Karofsky before I take you to see Figgins!" The coach watched with worried eyes as she saw the pure hatred burning in both sets of eyes. Could she really keep the two of them from fighting each other on her own?

"Yeah. I'm the 'gay boy'? That's rich coming from you!"

"Shut it Evans!"

"No I'm tired of being silent and just watching as people like you pick on people like Kurt. There are so many douche bags like you in every school in Ohio. I should know. I've met most of them. I was _friends_ with most of them. They're all in your face; taunting and hurting others because secretly they're scared..."

"I said shut it Evans!"

"Both of you stop it!" Beiste cried in an effort to calm the two down. The effort seemed pointless as both continued yelling at each other as if she hadn't even spoken.

"...They're scared of people knowing the truth. Knowing that they're not so different to their victims after all!"

"I am NOT like you Evans!"

"Yeah I know. Because I would _never_ force myself on someone and I _definitely_ wouldn't threaten to kill them afterwards. So yeah you're not like me at all."

The silence in the room was deafening. It was only broken as Karofsky lunged for the blonde, only stopping because Beiste managed to hold him back.

"Evans. Is what you're saying about him true?" The blonde nodded. "That's a very serious accusation to make."

"I have proof. I saved the text threatening Kurt's life to his phone, it should still be there." Beiste nodded.

"Come on you two. Move it! We're seeing Figgins right _now._ He should still be here." Karofsky looked ready to run but Beiste's grip remained tight on his jacket. "You're not going anywhere. Evans? Can you get in touch with Hummel and tell him to come back in? We'll need him in order to..."

"He should still be here for Cheerios practise. I'll go and get him." He stood up and turned to go and find Kurt. He was still slightly shaky on his feet and he stumbled a bit as he tried to rush off in the direction of the gym.

"Evans. You're going nowhere before you've seen the nurse. You too Karofsky. I'll take you both there and then _I'll_ get Hummel. And if either of you starts another fight... I promise you'll regret it. Mark my words." With that, the female coach led (supported and forced) the two boys towards the nurse's office before rushing down the corridor towards where Katy Perry music could be heard blasting from the speakers.

SAM_EVANS_KURT_HUMMEL_KUM_HEVANS_SAM_EVANS_KURT_HUMMEL_KUM_HEVANS_

Twenty minutes later, Beiste was sat inbetween Karofsky and Sam, with Kurt sat on the other side of the blonde, their hands clasped tightly. Sat in front of them was Figgins and to the side of him, surprisingly, was Sue Sylvester.

"Okay Shannon. What seems to be the problem here. As you know it's after hours and I would like to be able to leave soon." Sam meanwhile tried to communicate to Kurt through his eyes exactly what had happened. He figured he must have been successful when he saw the disapproving look in the brunette's eyes. This theory was dissuaded when he felt soft hands tentatively touch one of the bruises that Sam hadn't even realised had formed on his arms. He grimaced slightly at the twinge he felt when the soprano's hand made contact with the bruise but found himself enjoying the touch all the same. It was almost _soothing_.

"I'm also curious to know why Porcelain here is missing practise. We're meant to be practising our routine for Regionals! The cheerios are a _winning_ team. Our _only_ winning team. If our routine is anything less than perfect for the competition then we will all be _losers_. And I will hold _you_ responsible." She pointed a finger at the worried looking headmaster.

"Anyone going to tell me what's going on here?" Figgins looked frustrated as he waited for someone to explain the situation.

"Sorry. Evans would you explain the situation to him?" The blonde nodded before explaining the locker room confrontation and the actions by Karofsky that had caused the attack to occur in the first place. Sam felt a rising feeling of anger as he noted the lack of interest the principal seemed to have in the situation.

Sue, on the other hand, looked ready to murder Karofsky who had shrunk back into his seat as Sam had spoken. Whether it was embarrassment or fear of Sue, Sam wasn't sure, but either way, it was very satisfying to see. When he had finished, there was a moment of silence before Figgins spoke.

"This is all well and good but how am I supposed to make the governors take this seriously when there were only two actual witnesses to this 'harassment' and do you actually have any proof that he threatened Kurt's life?" The blonde fought hard to control his temper before he acted out and did something that he would regret later. He couldn't believe that this _bastard_ was their principal! Beiste, feeling similarly incensed, spoke for Sam.

"From what I've heard, Evans saved the message threatening Hummel's life on his phone." She motioned for the brunette to hand over his phone which he did willing. She opened the screen, scanning until she found the message. What she read made her feel _ill_. How had she not seen this in the boy who'd come to the tryouts? How had she not realised? "Want proof Figgins? There's your proof!"

The man paled slightly as he read the message. Sue snatched the phone from his hands, reading it herself before her eyes lifted from the phone screen. Instead boring into the larger jock in front of her.

"Figgins he threatened the life of one of my star cheerios. This is _unacceptable_!"

"Figgins this is _wrong_! I'm with Sue on this! He should be expelled for his behaviour!"

Figgins cowered slightly as the two women rose from their seats, practically yelling at the headmaster. Alone Sue and Shannon were a problem but together, they were terrifying.

"He should be put to _death_. It says in my contract that anyone who attempts to kill one of my cheerios must pay with their _life_. Read the small print." Coach Beiste rolled her eyes before turning to the cheerios coach beside her.

"Don't you think that's a bit much Sue?"

"Too much? Too much is letting an innocent boy be molested in your locker room. You are clearly unfit to be a coach if you can't even prevent a member of _your _team from hurting one of _my_ cheerios. I want her _fired_."

"Yeah? Why was one of _your_ cheerios in my locker rooms in the first place?"

Sue remained silent for a moment, looking more than a bit frustrated. "We'll talk about this later. Point is, I want that slobbering meathead out of this school and away from my cheerios!"

"Can everyone please settle down for a minute." The man breathed a sigh of relief as the two women sat back into their seats. We won't kill him Sue. No matter how much you want to, killing is _illegal_. I will look into getting him expelled. I make no promises though. At the end of the day, it's not my choice to make, it's the governors."

Offering a glare to the man who sat across the desk, Sam guided Kurt out of the office, stumbling again slightly so that he landed in the brunette's arms. Despite the current situation, both flushed heavily. _Well, I guess being this beat up has some benefits. Kurt's arms are pretty warm, and surprisingly strong. I wish I could just stay here... I'd definitely prefer this to explaining this situation to my parents. That's gonna be hell._

The two separated, reluctantly, and walked out of the front entrance of McKinley together. Sam no longer had practise to go to and Kurt didn't have the energy to cope with any more death-defying lifts or any of the other choreography that Sue had planned for him. Instead, they both headed home in Kurt's car (he refused to let Sam drive himself home in the state he was in).

Figgins left shortly afterwards, eager to get away from the drama and tensions of school life. Why did he ever think that he would enjoy being a teacher? And why in God's name did he think that being head teacher would be any better? What the hell had he been thinking when he'd taken the position at McKinley?

This left Sue, Beiste and Karofsky. The later moved to leave but was stopped as two pairs of firm hands held him back. The two women nodded to each other before forcing the jock back into his chair. He paled slightly at the look of pure evil that was now visible on the cheerleading coach's face. "I'll take it from here." Beiste nodded in consent before leaving to return to coaching the football team. Karofsky had a sudden realisation that he was completely alone with Sue. He gulped loudly. This was _not _good.

"Now Karofsky, don't look so scared. We're just going to have a little talk about exactly why you should never touch my cheerios..."

**A/N: I wouldn't want to be Karofksy right now... still he had it coming. Let me know what you thought of the chapter! Hit or Miss? Let me know!**

**I hope Sue Sylvester was okay in this- I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the best at writing her. I hope I did her justice!**

**And I'm sure you are now all aware that I'm not Figgins biggest fan. Don't get me wrong, I think he's hilarious (Tik and also Tok... I almost died of laughter) but as a character he always annoys me as he never seems to manage to solve any problems- leaving it to Shue or Sue or Beiste to fix his mistakes. Sue did a way better job in her short time as principal, and the way she gave up the role in protest of the whole Karofksy situation made me love her way more than I'd ever loved Figgins in that role! So yeah my view on Figgins is funny but frustrating... sorry for the rant, I just thought I'd explain myself.**

**And has anyone else heard the rumours for the next few episodes? The tragedy before regionals spoiler is making me panic a bit... although I've heard it might be Pavarotti who kicks the bucket, which would still be quite sad, but it's better than the alternatives!**

**On a more cheerful note... the Klaine duet! I really hope this isn't another false start though as, if it is; I may well just give up on them altogether. I, like Kurt, am tired of getting my heart broken over Blaine Anderson.**

**Is it possible that Hevans could become cannon? I haven't ruled it out so far since with the Brittana plot in the next episode and with Sinn broken up for good (I really can't see them getting back together after the whole Quinn kissed Finn drama) and Kurt still single... could the writers be returning to their original plan to put Sam and Kurt together? It's possible- I'm still highly convinced that Sam might be Bi instead of Straight. What do you think? I'd love to hear your theories. Hevans or Klaine for cannon?**

**All that's left to say now is to thank everyone for reading! You lot are amazing, incredible people and I'm eternally grateful for your support (and that you had the patience to read my endless author note). Thanks again!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	15. Family, Feelings and Foreign Languages

**A/N: I can't believe it! This story has hit over 50 reviews... I think I've gone into shock. Wow! This amazing! Thank you so much to everyone who reads/reviews/alerts/favourites this story, you've given me so much more confidence in my writing abilities than I had before I started writing this!**

**A special thanks goes to **_**Onyx Nailo**_**, **_**Harry Fado**_**, **_**Crimsyn Lies**_**, **_**RimTusaw**_**, **_**sydg813**_**, **_**JustAStrangerPassingBy**_**,**_** Ryan S**_**, **_**sassy selena, redpen88 **_**and **_**Fallen Upon**_** for your lovely reviews- I think this the most reviews I've ever gotten for a chapter... ever. Thank you all so much! Also, as always, a huge thanks goes to my awesome beta **_**KennyIsOrange**_**.**

**One more note before this chapter starts, I know a few people wanted to see the Sue/Karofsky confrontation so I'm working on a one shot of it. I'll let you all know when I post that so you all can read it- bear with me though, I find Sue quite challenging to write so writing the scene is taking longer than I'd originally anticipated. I will get it posted as soon as possible though!**

**With no further ado, I present the next chapter. Hope you all like it! Enjoy!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**

_Kurt pushed open the doors to McKinley, walking towards his locker. It took a few moments for him to realise that there was something strange about the hallways. They were empty...Where was everyone? The corridors looked so empty abandoned. There were no smug looking Neanderthals shoving him around or groups of Cheerios offering him slight nods as they passed in the halls. He could live with that... but there was no sign of any of New Directions either._

_Where were they? There was no Quinn complaining about Rachel's annoying personality, no Mercedes informing him of the latest gossip- he even missed her multicoloured monstrosities at the moment, no stepbrother giving him a small goofy grin as they saw each other... no Sam. Suddenly Kurt felt a lot more vulnerable. Why weren't they here?_

_BANG! What was that? CRASH! It can't be... Sue and Beiste said he'd get expelled. Sue said she'd 'talked' to him. SLAM! Kurt turned slowly, spotting the lone figure in the centre of the hallway... Karofsky. His mind began to scream at him to run; unfortunately his legs didn't seem to have gotten the message as he remained fixed to the spot as his attacker drew closer._

_Where are you Sam? You promised to protect me. You said you wouldn't let him do this again! Where are you Sam? I need you..._

"_Hey Homo." Kurt flinched as one of the jock's sweaty hands caressed his face. His mind seemed to catch up with him at the physical contact as he finally found himself able to move. He tried to run, being cut off as the taller boy's arms wrapped tightly around his waist. He struggled, causing the jock to laugh a little as he held him tighter, before shoving him into the wall behind him. "Don't even think about running fag. You're __**mine**__." The brunette shook his head violently before two hands lifted to plant themselves on either side of his face. He saw Karofsky lean forward, smirking slightly as their lips touched..._

Kurt's eyes shot open. He felt a few stray tears roll down his cheeks as sat up, smoothing out his tangled sheets. He wiped the tears away with his hand absentmindedly as he took deep calming breaths. Why wouldn't the nightmares stop? Ever since the incident in the locker room, all he could see every time he closed his eyes was Karofsky's taunting eyes and smug, menacing grin.

He _hated_ it. What made it worse was that he still didn't know what would actually happen to Karofsky. Ever since the meeting with Figgins, he'd just wanted to know what was going to happen with the jock so he could deal with it, prepare for it. It was the waiting that was unbearable. Sue, Beiste and the Glee Club had all made it clear that they would support him whatever happened but none of them knew what that situation would be. How could they plan for something when they didn't know whether or not it would actually happen?

It was still highly possible that Karofsky would get off with nothing more than a warning- apparently Hunter's uncle was on the board of governors... well _he_ definitely wasn't getting expelled any time soon. Especially as the reason he was being 'tried' in the first place was for homophobia.

The Hunter family were well known in Ohio as anti-gay rights protestors, Dan Hunter being one of Kurt's greatest tormentors alongside Karofsky as a result. It was obvious from the look of disgust he had received from Jason Hunter, when the man had arrived at the school to meet with Figgins, that this belief was a family trait. In other words, there was a very small chance of Kurt feeling safe at McKinley High anytime soon.

At the moment, the only thing keeping him sane was a certain blonde jock; _Sam _Evans. He had been so incredibly patient and understanding ever since he'd told the jock about Karofsky. He'd make that extra effort to take Kurt's mind off the situation; making him laugh about things, teaching him (or at least trying to teach him) Navi- it was nice to see the blonde let out his more dorky side, working on the routine for Duets non-stop without complaint, making sure to walk Kurt to his classes- even if it caused the blonde to be late to his own, being... well to be honest amazing. Hell, he'd even subjected himself to another shopping trip with the brunette, just to make him smile. Kurt sort of (well maybe more than sort of) loved him for that. Sam was making it pretty impossible not to fall for him... recently though, Kurt found he didn't mind as much. He was starting to think that maybe, just maybe, he might actually have a chance this time...

With thoughts of a certain blonde jock in his mind, Kurt let his head fall back against the pillow as he closed his eyes, hoping to get a few hours of sleep before school started. Somehow, as he drifted off, the thoughts of a beautiful smile managed to keep the demons of Karofsky and the locker room at bay. For the first time since the incident, the brunette slept without dreaming.

GLEE_DON'T_STOP_BELIEVING_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEVANS_GLEE_DON'T_STOP_BELIEVING_GLEE

Sam spotted the tall jock standing by the lockers with a huge smile on his face. _How can he be smiling at a time like this?_ He felt his anger rise as he heard the sounds of a certain diva fawning over the jock, mentioning how brave he was for taking on Karofsky. _Hero_ she called him. _More like coward_.

"Hey Finn. Can I talk to you for a minute?" The jock's eyes met the blonde's a look of confusion filling them as he noted the look of anger flaring in their depths.

"Um sure man. Rach, could you give me a sec? I'll be right back." The brunette nodded, squeezing his hand briefly before turning back to talk to Quinn about ways to improve the blonde's breath control and projection, not seeming to notice the look on said blonde's face that revealed the ex-cheerio's desire to throttle her duet partner.

The two jocks walked towards the choir room, shutting the door behind them before Sam turned to face a confused but worried looking Finn.

"Okay Finn. Start talking! What happened to you during the fight? Why weren't you with us? You're Kurt's step brother! You better have a good reason, or I'm going out there and telling Rachel what a 'hero' you really are..." The taller jocks eyes widened before they fell, gazing intently at a spot on the choir room floor as he sighed.

"Look man. I feel really bad about that..."

"Then where were you? Artie's chair got dented, Mike got a black eye and Puck had to get stitches! You just stood in the hallway and yelled when Beiste was coming! What the hell dude? I mean..." The look of guilt on the jock's face increased with every word Sam spoke until he lifted his eyes to meet the blonde's interrupting him as he replied.

"I panicked okay? I just... I... I was selfish. I didn't want to lose my spot on the team. I'm already enough of a loser as it is I..." The blonde only just resisted the urge to punch Finn in the jaw as he listened to the words coming from the taller jock's mouth.

"He's your step brother! It shouldn't matter about your rep where he's concerned. He's your family! You're meant to protect him; it's like a rule or something. How could you do this to him? Have you any idea how much this whole thing with Karofsky has affected him?"

"Yes! You think I don't feel bad? I feel like shit. Coz I _know _how much this has got to him. _I'm_ the one who lives with him. _I've_ heard him crying at night. He doesn't sleep much. Nightmares..." The blonde's eyes widened slightly at Finn's words.

"He said they'd stopped."

"He lied. Kurt does that a lot. Tries to pretend he's okay to protect everyone else. I think Rachel said it was a 'martyr complex' or something like that. Point is, I know how bad this is. I regret what I did... but I can't fix it." The look of remorse in the taller teen's eyes stopped Sam from making another comeback. Finn obvious meant what he'd said, that made it a lot easier for the blonde to restrain himself from starting another fight.

"Yeah. But you _can_ be there for him from now on. He's your family Finn. I shouldn't have to tell you that." Finn nodded slightly at the blonde as he began to walk away.

"I know."

GLEE_DON'T_STOP_BELIEVING_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEVANS_GLEE_DON'T_STOP_BELIEVING_GLEE

After leaving Finn, the blonde weaved through the crowds of students littering the halls to reach Kurt who was stood by himself as he fished books out of his locker. Even across the hallway, Sam could see the dark circles that hung beneath his eyes.

"Hey Kurt." He offered a small smile, sending a look of apology when he noticed the boy jump slightly in shock at the sound of his voice.

"Sam don't scare me like that!" The blonde looked apologetic for scaring Kurt so he offered the blonde his hand as a sign that he was forgiven. The two hands clasped together as usual, both boys silently marvelling at how perfectly their hands seemed to fit together. It was almost like they had been made for that purpose... both of them secretly liked that idea, no matter how corny it sounded.

"Sorry. Let me make it up to you. How about I buy you a coffee later? You look like you need it..."

"I'm fine Sam. I..."

"I know you're still having nightmares." Kurt's eyes widened slightly at the blonde's words.

"How..."

"Finn told me." The brunette let out a sigh of frustration. He should have known his stepbrother wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut. "He's worried about you Kurt. We both are... Why did you lie to me about the dreams? I could have helped... or at least tried..."

"I wanted to be _brave_... I know it sounds stupid but... You're always saying how I'm this hero. I wanted to be one. Heroes don't cry about stupid Neanderthals and stolen first kisses, they just move on with life... I just didn't want to let you down..." Sam's eyes widened. This was _his _fault. Why was he always ruining Kurt's life? All he wanted was to protect him but instead he seemed to _cause_ problems.

"Listen to me Kurt. You're the bravest guy I know. No matter what you think." It killed the blonde to see the disbelief reflected in the brunette's eyes. "But sometimes, it's even braver to cry, to show people that side of you. One of the bravest things you've ever done was telling me about Karofsky, most people wouldn't have been able to. You _are_ brave Kurt. And you _are_ a hero... to me."

Kurt offered a weak but slightly bitter smile before lowering his head slightly and whispering a few words "I don't know why you're so kind to me Sam. I'm nothing special..."

Sam's free hand gently lifted Kurt's head so that the brunette was able to see the fierce look in the blonde's eyes. The ferocity of the gaze didn't scare the soprano though, it drew him in. The intensity of emotion in the jocks eyes made him momentarily forget how to breathe.

"You are special Kurt. _Never_ doubt that. You're smart, funny, kind, talented, brilliant, brave, creative... You're the closest to perfect I've ever met. So don't doubt yourself... what was that song... Kurt, you're amazing, just the way you are." The blonde sang the last part softly to the brunette, feeling a rush of joy at the smile that it prompted on the soprano's face.

Suddenly the energy that there had been in the choir room that time after the two had joked about with corny chat up lines- that seemed like a lifetime ago now- had returned. Both boys started to breathe faster as they noticed their close proximity, Kurt flushing slightly at the feeling of the blonde's hand gently caressing his cheek.

Sam had almost begun to lean towards the brunette when Brittany came racing down the corridor, Santana following her with a look of frustrated amusement as she watched the ditzy blonde practically tackle 'her dolphin' with a hug. The jock let out a sigh as he was forced away by the hyperactive cheerio who was now talking to Kurt about Sue's new plans for their next big cheerios number.

Santana smiled at the blonde who was slightly taken aback by the fact that the smile seemed genuine instead of her usual smug or flirty grins. The cheerio seemed... _happy_. He watched the Latina carefully as she turned her gaze back to the two cheerios in front of them, noticing the look of warmth in her eyes as she watched Brittany laugh. So Brittany and Santana were dating now? Good. They seemed to really care for each other and if they made each other this happy, he was happy for them.

The bell rang just as Santana had managed to pull Brittany away from a grinning Kurt. Sam couldn't bring himself to feel even a little bit mad at the other blonde for ruining his moment with Kurt after he saw the huge smile of happiness that she'd put on the brunette's face. He offered a smile of thanks to the blonde as they parted ways, nodding at Santana, before dragging Kurt to their first class.

Beside him, Kurt couldn't stop smiling. His jaw was aching and his face might just have split if he'd smiled any wider but to be honest, he didn't really care at the moment. _Sam almost kissed me. I'm almost certain that he would have leaned in if Brit hadn't come along. Sam Evans likes me. I can't believe it..._

GLEE_DON'T_STOP_BELIEVING_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEVANS_GLEE_DON'T_STOP_BELIEVING_GLEE

Meanwhile, in the principal's office, Figgins sat at his desk across from Sue, Beiste and a very confused looking Will Schuester.

"Okay. The governors and I have been meeting and we've come to an agreement. This decision is final. The governors have spoken and I have agreed with their decision." The room remained silent as they waited for Figgins to continue. "Firstly, they have decided that since there is no real evidence other than Mr Hummel's words that Mr Karofsky harassed him in the locker room, this evidence will not be taken into consideration..."

At his words, three very loud voices surged, cutting off the rest of Figgins sentence.

"So that dent in one of the lockers in my locker room isn't proof! What are they thinking?"

"No proof? Give me another hour with him and a recording device and I'll get you your proof. I learned a lot of torture techniques from my famous Nazi hunter parents..."

"What the hell is going on Figgins? When was Kurt harassed and why wasn't I told about this sooner?"

"SHUT UP!" The three teachers stared at the headmaster before taking their seats quietly. "Thank you. As I was saying, they decided not to take the locker room incident into consideration, however, there is substantial evidence that he did threaten Mr Hummel's life..."

"Karofsky threatened Kurt's life?"

"Yes and if you weren't so busy running after that wide eyed nut case of a guidance councillor and putting copious amounts of grease in your hair, you'd have already realised that."

"That's enough Sue, Shue. Anyway, the governors have decided to give Mr Karofsky a two month expulsion to allow him to think about what he has done and to change his ways. I have agreed to this. My decision is final. If you have a problem with this, take it up with the board not me." The fuming cheerios coach rose from her seat with a look of determination written across her face.

"Oh trust me I will take this up with the board, in _court_ if necessary. That meathead tried to harm one of my cheerios; I won't rest until he's forced to _pay_." With that she stormed out of the office. Beiste was the next to stand.

"I don't agree with this Figgins, but I guess it's not my choice to make. Just know that if anything else happens to that kid, I'll help Sue with that court case, hell I'll take them to court myself. Just bear that in mind." The football coach strode out of the office with a similar air of defiance to her stride, leaving Figgins alone with Mr Shue.

"Why didn't I know about this before? How long ago did this happen to Kurt?" The Glee club director sighed as he rested his head in his hands.

"William. You shouldn't have to ask me things, you should know." Figgins leaned forward across his desk slightly as he spoke. "You need to pay closer attention to your Glee kids. We both know that they're the ones that the others bully the most. You should _know_ when one of your kids is being hurt Will, we can't afford any more incidents like this. It's bad for school image and in this economy, we really can't afford that. Just, look after them. Okay?" The Spanish teacher nodded before exiting the office in a trance-like state.

How hadn't he noticed this bullying happening right under his nose? Kurt's life had actually been threatened! He resolved to pay more attention to his students in future. After all, if he didn't look out for his Glee kids, who would?

GLEE_DON'T_STOP_BELIEVING_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEVANS_GLEE_DON'T_STOP_BELIEVING_GLEE

Will watched as his students tried (and mostly failed) to pronounce their sentences correctly. Sometimes he hated his job; teaching Spanish was no walk in the park. His eyes flickered to one of his more competent students, Kurt Hummel, who was having a full blown conversation with a Spanish foreign exchange student about Lady Gaga... that boy had always had a talent for learning foreign languages.

He sighed slightly at the thought of what he was about to tell the boy. This was the other part of his job he hated; the responsibilities that came with it. How was he meant to look Kurt in the eyes and tell him that in two months time his tormentor would be back at McKinley when he hadn't even noticed that the brunette was being harassed? He let out a sigh before walking over to the brunette's desk.

"Kurt puedo hablar contigo un momento por favor?" the brunette looked away from his partner to reply.

"Bueno Sr. Shue. Vamos a hablar afuera?" Mr Shue nodded and the two stepped outside of the classroom and into the corridor to talk.

"Kurt, Figgins told me to inform you that a decision had been made regarding the situation with Karofsky..." It killed him to see the worried look in the soprano's eyes. "He's on expulsion for two months. He'll return after that time as the board believe he will have had enough time to see the error of his ways... I'm sorry Kurt" The counter tenor offered Will a small smile.

"It's okay. It's two more months than I was expecting anyway. I'll count my blessings." He returned to the classroom, leaving a slightly stunned Will Schuester in the hall. That boy was without a doubt one of the bravest people the Spanish teacher had ever met.

GLEE_DON'T_STOP_BELIEVING_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEVANS_GLEE_DON'T_STOP_BELIEVING_GLEE

Kurt took deep breaths as he sat in his car, head resting on the steering wheel as his thoughts raced. _Karofsky is going to come back. There's nothing anyone can do about it. Karofsky's going to come back... and then he'll kill me for telling. I'm going to die..._ He cursed to himself as he felt the tears well in his eyes, blinking them away as he lifted his head to stare at the parking lot of McKinley, jumping slightly when he heard a tapping noise on his window. His eyes lifted to meet a certain blonde jock's which were filled with concern at the sight of the few tears that had managed to roll across the soprano's cheeks. Letting out a sigh, the brunette opened the car door, letting Sam in. He really didn'twant to talk about anything right now. He just wanted to curl up in a ball on his couch with some ice cream and RENT.

The blonde seemed to realise this as instead of asking him about what had happened he just tightly enfolded the brunette in his arms. Kurt hugged back just as fiercely as he allowed himself to let go and just cry, letting out the tears that had wanted to fall ever since the locker room incident. Sam just sat beside him, murmuring words of comfort into his shoulder as the two embraced each other.

After a while the blonde whispered "So I'm guessing Karofsky's staying then?" The brunette nodded in reply.

"We've got two months, then he's back. I guess I'll just make the most of them before I..." He broke off in silent sobs, prompting Sam to start rubbing comforting circles into his back.

"Hey, hey. That's two months without him which is better than we thought. And when he comes back, _nothing_ will happen to you. I _promise_. I told you I'd protect you didn't I? I meant it. He's not gonna get anywhere near you Kurt. He'll never kiss you again and he'll _never_ get a chance to act on his threat _ever_. Okay?" Kurt shook his head, raising his eyes to meet Sam's.

"I really appreciate this Sam but you're not invincible. Remember the last time you stood up to Karofsky? You were a walking bruise for the next few days. They're only just starting to fade now. I... I don't want you to suffer for me. What if he tried to kill you? I couldn't live with myself. Besides, I'm not worth it..." Again the blonde felt a rush of fury at how easily the brunette dismissed his own importance. Internally, Sam made it a personal goal to change Kurt's perspective of himself. He needed to show the soprano just how special he truly was.

"Kurt. Please stop saying things like that. You _are_ worth it. You are_ so_ worth it. I'd happily take a thousand rounds of 'the fury' just to keep you safe." When eyes filled with awe and small flicker of hope met his, Sam knew he'd said something right... for once.

**A/N: So what did you all think? Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know!**

**Also I'd love to hear what you all think about the way the Karofsky situation was handled. When I planned this, my first thoughts were 'I want to expel him' but as I planned things out, I realised that with Figgins as principal and the corrupt governing board (as shown in cannon) it wouldn't be that simple, hence the two months expulsion. **

**Oh, and here's the translations for the brief bit of dialogue in Spanish (if anyone who reads this is Spanish- I apologise for my poor attempts at translating- I, unlike Kurt, was never very good with foreign languages).**

**Mr Shue: Kurt can I talk to you for a moment please?**

**Kurt: Okay Mr Shue. Shall we talk outside?**

**If things go to plan, there should be another duet in the next chapter, any final guesses as to what each pair will sing? I don't think anyone's guessed correctly so far as to any of the song choices but I think my last two are much more predictable- I'll be interested to see what people come up with!**

**On another topic, anyone heard Glee's two new original songs yet. I personally love them. 'Get It Right' is perfect for Lea/Rachel's voice and the emotional depth to the song is stunning (a lot better than Rachel's past attempts as song writing- her hair band... really?).**

**And as for 'Loser Like Me'... well I literally can't stop listening to it... at all. I'm addicted! I especially love Cory's section- anyone else think those lyrics screamed **_**Kurt**_**? Especially 'I'll get you back when I'm your boss' ('One day you'll all work for me'- am I the only one who thinks that when they hear those lyrics?). I also love how upbeat and inspiring the song is- in other words, I can't wait for 'Original Song' to air.**

**I'm also excited for this week's episode too. Guess we'll be finding out once and for all if Sam is straight or bi considering the Britana plot... should be interesting.**

**With that, I will leave you with my huge thanks for your continued support as I write this story- I honestly couldn't continue to write this without your support- you lot inspire me and keep me motivated to write this! I love you all for it! Thanks for reading!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	16. Things More Important Than Winning

**A/N: Hi everyone! Thanks again for your amazing continued support! It means the world to me! To anyone who reads/alerts/favourites/reviews this story, I am eternally grateful. A special thank you goes to **_**AnimeAddic5 **_**(x2), **_**Onyx Nailo**_**, **_**JustAStrangerPassingBy**_**, **_**MrRRS**_**, **_**Kermodei**_**, **_**sydg813**_**, **_**sassy selena, CrimsynLies **_**and **_**walkandtalk **_**for such lovely reviews! And as always, many thanks goes to my lovely beta **_**KennyIsOrange**_**.**

**With no further ado, I give you all the next chapter! Hope you all like it! Enjoy!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**

A certain diva frowned as she watched Kurt flinch, yet again, at the sound of a locker slamming shut. _What happened to him? He used to take all of this bullying in his stride. He'd continue taunting those jerks even when they'd covered him in slushie, he even smiled at them sometimes to annoy them... what could Karofsky have done to him to make him like this? To make him afraid of the mere sound of a locker being slammed shut._

Naturally Rachel had asked (well pestered) Sam for details to what had happened until he very _politely_ told her to 'back off' and 'leave Kurt the hell alone' because apparently she was making things worse. She had only, very reluctantly, left when she'd seen the fierce look of protectiveness in the blonde's eyes.

It reminded her of the way her dads looked at each other sometimes... maybe there was something between Sam and Kurt. She wondered if they knew it yet... probably not. She had a sixth sense for these things so she was bound to have spotted it long before either of them did.

So naturally, with Sam and Kurt refusing to answer her questions, she had turned to Finn for answers who had told her about how he had led the jocks in an attack against Karofsky after he'd harassed Kurt in the locker room. Naturally she'd been proud of him, but also a bit suspicious as her boyfriend seemed to be the only Glee guy, other than Kurt, who hadn't been seriously injured in the confrontation. She knew Finn was tall, but he wasn't the toughest of guys- they'd all seen just how strong Karofsky was through their years of being tormented. Surely Finn would at least be bruised after a fight with him?

So she'd confronted him about it... To say she'd been mad when she'd found out he was lying was an understatement... she was furious. She spent a whole hour explaining to Finn exactly why he shouldn't lie to her if he wanted their relationship to work and then another half an hour screaming at him when she found out his very poor excuse for not being involved in the attack. She had told Finn that she wouldn't talk to him until he apologised to Kurt and had tried not to feel guilty when she saw how hurt he was by her words.

Later that evening, when she'd received a text from Sam just saying; _Thank you for what you did. I don't know what you said to him but thanks x_ and one from Finn saying; _you were right, I'm sorry. Can we talk again? I miss you. Love Finn._ She knew it had been worth it.

But even with Finn's apology, Kurt had still been edgy. He was scared- she could tell. But of what? What the hell had Karofsky done to him?

The only time when the soprano ever seemed himself now was when he was near Sam. It seemed the blonde was still able to make him smile, make him laugh. Sam made him happy and for that Rachel was incredibly grateful. But whenever the two were separated, which wasn't often but the two were still in separate classes for some subjects, Kurt went back to looking frightened and vulnerable.

It was incredibly upsetting to watch her always confidant team mate look so defeated, like he'd given up on fighting the bullies in favour of feeling _safer_. She feared it was only a matter of time before even Sam wouldn't be able to make Kurt feel safe anymore, especially when the bully returned after his expulsion. And if he was that afraid at McKinley... he might transfer.

Which was why she was about to meet Quinn and make a slight alteration to their duets number... their song choice. Sure she might lose the competition but she'd benefit from having Kurt around in the long run. He was, after all, her only _real_ competition in Glee club.

KURT_SAM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_

"So let me get this straight. You, Rachel Berry, are actually willing to risk your chances at winning a competition in order to help someone else? Hell must be freezing over." Rachel glared at the blonde before replying.

"Quinn, we have to do something to help him. We have to show him he not alone. Otherwise we're going to lose him. I hear our competition at sectionals include the Dalton Academy Warblers and... They're an all boys no harassment policy school. If Kurt sees them perform at sectionals while he's feeling like this, then it'll only be a matter of time before he's transferred. And without him, we won't even be able to perform at Regionals..."

Quinn took a deep breath, willing herself not to give into the urge she was feeling to punch the brunette in front of her. Right now she was _very _tempted.

"Is that seriously all you care about? Our friend is being hurt and all you can think about is whether we'll be able to perform at Nationals? How do you even know who we're competing with? Mr Shue hasn't even told us yet."

The diva offered a small smile. "I have my ways..."

_Mr Shue sighed as he looked up to see the Glee club's resident diva standing in the doorway._

"_Rachel. What do you want? I'm kind of busy right now."_

"_I wanted to know if you had any idea of our competition at Sectionals yet. As you know it's crucial that we..."_

"_Rachel I'm busy right now. If I tell you will you leave me alone?"_

_The diva offered him a sweet smile as she nodded._

"_The groups are called The Hipsters and The Warblers. Feel free to look into them if you feel the need... Listen Rachel, would you have any idea where Mike and Santana might be?"_

_Rachel carefully composed her expression to hide the look of concern ready to grace her features._

"_No haven't seen them, sorry... oh and here's a list of songs that would showcase my voice well for sectionals."_

_She pretended not to notice Mr Shue's reluctant expression when he told her he'd look at the list later. Was he really going to have Santana and Mike sing the leads for Sectionals instead of her and Finn? She hoped not._

"Look Rachel, whatever way you got that information out of him doesn't matter, what matters is how you seem to care more about winning than you do about Kurt."

"I thought we'd established that by changing our song, I was sacrificing my chance of winning..."

"Only temporarily. You care more about belting a solo out at Nationals so you can rub your talent in Jesse's face than you do about Kurt's happiness."

"Okay you want the truth? You think I'm heartless right? Well, most of the time, that's probably true. But here's something most people don't know... I actually care about others. You may not be one of them, considering our past rivalry but Kurt is." She frowned at the look of disbelief in the blonde's eyes before continuing. "We kind of bonded over our mutual unrequited (at the time) love of Finn... And also Broadway musicals. Plus he's a valid and formidable opponent for solos. He challenges me. Behind my diva attitude and superior vocals... I actually admire him. He's always had this incredible bravery about him. Seeing that crumble, after whatever Karofsky did to him... it breaks my heart. Plus, now that Finn and I are dating and those two are practically brothers, he's like family to me. So feel free to call my unfeeling but the truth is I do care about him...just don't tell him or anyone else that." Quinn offered a slight nod of understanding.

"He is pretty inspirational sometimes. I'm guessing he reminds you of your parents in that sense." Rachel offered a brief nod. "I thought so... Well, fair enough. I guess we should start practising then?" Before the blonde could prepare for it, she felt the brunette fling herself at Quinn giving her a tight hug before pulling away and dragging the bemused blonde towards the choir room.

"You know Quinn, we might still win. Your vocals really aren't that bad." The blonde just rolled her eyes, knowing that it was the closest she would ever get to a compliment from the diva.

"Thanks Rachel. Now, let's get to work."

KURT_SAM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_

"Hey Sam." Said blonde turned to grin at the speaker who was looking a lot less pale today. Sure he'd seen him flinch at a locker being slammed earlier, but it was still progress.

"Hi Kurt. You ready for today?" The counter tenor smirked slightly.

"Oh I'm more than ready. I'll take particular satisfaction in taking the victory from right underneath Rachel's nose. It'll probably do her some good to lose for once." Sam frowned slightly, realising that the soprano was relieving the Defying Gravity diva off.

"Don't worry Kurt, she will. No matter how hard she tries, she could never be as good as you. And not just because of your incredible voice but also because it kind of represents her well... how do I explain this... remember when you were explaining what the big deal about Katy Perry was?" Kurt gave a slight nod, prompting Sam to continue. "Well you mentioned how she was the huge icon for being an individual and never being ashamed of it." Another nod. "I don't know a single person who represents that better than you Kurt. _You_ are the icon, and one day the world will know that too." Kurt grinned at the blonde, not even noticing as a cheerio, halfway down the corridor, slammed her locker shut.

KURT_SAM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_

Mercedes watched as the two boys interacted, noting with a smile the look of adoration in the blonde's eyes as he listened to the brunette talk, laughing when he made a joke and giving Kurt his full attention. She was thrilled that Kurt had finally found someone who truly appreciated him but, if she was honest, a part of her was still slightly jealous of him.

It was a selfish part of her, but it existed all the same. Somehow, she'd convinced herself that both Kurt and her would have to wait to find love. She'd figured that they would probably wait until they'd left McKinley until either got into a serious relationship. She'd almost been relying on it. She hated being alone and while she was happy that she'd been wrong about Kurt, she wondered what this meant for their friendship. She knew they'd still be friends but, the brunette would have a lot less time for her now... which would be fine too except her other friend also seemed to have love just on the horizon. Where did that leave her? The single one in her group, she'd gradually be forgotten as the others would go out on double dates, spending all their time with their other half...

She realised she was probably reading too much into this but she'd seen this happen before at McKinley... With Santana, Brittany and Quinn. Those three used to be inseparable as children. They'd do everything together... then Brit and Santana had gotten boyfriends. And Quinn, at first, had been understanding of them. After all, it was each of their first boyfriends; they were bound to want to spend time with them. But as they continued to see their boyfriends (and then each other but no one had known that at the time) Quinn had just been left behind.

They only reformed their friendship afterwards in the cheerios for convenience but anyone could see that it was strained. It was Santana and Brit and then Quinn on her own. Somewhere along the line, the incredible friendship the three of them had shared died. Mercedes desperately didn't want the same to happen to her Kurt and Quinn. Those two were her siblings as far as she was concerned and she didn't want to lose them.

But, despite her feelings, she couldn't bring herself to be unsupportive of either of the blooming relationships. Kurt and Quinn had both been through so much that Mercedes couldn't even begin to comprehend, let alone understand, they deserved someone really special after dealing with all of that. And, from what she'd seen of them this year, Sam and Noah were perfect for her friends. She just hoped they didn't forget her once the two boys finally worked up the courage to sweep them off their feet.

KURT_SAM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_

The majority of Glee club sat patiently as they waited for their teacher and two of their members, chatting about various things such as Sue's crazy ideas for their new routines and the football team's awesome winning streak since coach Beiste had been hired to coach them. About five minutes later, the missing members (Santana and Mike) and Mr Shue rushed into the choir room.

"Sorry we were late everyone. We were just running an idea for Sectionals which we'll probably show you next week if that's okay with you two." He gestured to the other two late arrivals who nodded their consent. "Great! So anyway..."

"Mr Shue." The Glee club director let out a sigh.

"Yes Rachel?"

"Are you suggesting that Santana and Mike should sing leads for Sectionals instead of me and Finn? Surely you know that this will only cause us the unnecessary risk of losing. Don't you want us to get to Nationals this year? At this rate we won't even get as far as we did before..."

"Rachel stop it! I've had enough of this behaviour! Yes you have a lot of talent but you are not the _only _talented one in here. We're lucky to have a group that is bursting with talent... And it's time I let someone other than you and Finn show that. Everyone in here deserves their chance to shine." Will seemed to direct the last part of his statement to Kurt, causing the soprano to raise an eyebrow in confusion, beside him Sam prayed the Kurt wouldn't hate him when he found out what the blonde had done.

"_Mr Shue can I talk to you about something?" The director internally sighed as he was, for the second time that day, interrupted by one of his students._

"_Yes Sam? What do you want to talk about?"_

"_I'm sure you remember the diva off I keep hearing about between Kurt and Rachel." Will nodded as he thought back to the contest, wincing slightly as he remembered the 'High F' fiasco._

"_Yes, I assume Kurt told you about this?" A slight nod from the blonde. "What about it?"_

"_The High F. He told you he could hit it right? Well he can." The teacher let out another audible sigh before replying._

"_I'm sure he can but he didn't in the diva off which is why Rachel got the solo, now..."_

"_No, you're not getting it. He can hit that note, and higher, easily." The Spanish teacher looked sceptical causing the blonde to sigh in frustration before whipping out his phone and scrolling through apps until he found it 'recordings'. "Want proof? Here's a recording of Kurt warming up that I took without him realising."_

_The blonde watched in satisfaction as the Glee club directors eyebrows slowly raised as he listened to the recording. There were a few moments of stunned silence from Will when the recording ended before Sam continued to speak._

"_Look, I'm not saying that you should give Kurt every solo in Glee club, that wouldn't be fair at all, what I'm saying is I've heard so many amazing voices since I've joined. I mean take Mike for example, most of you seemed surprised he could even talk, let alone sing, but he has incredible talent. And you never realised it, for an entire year, because you were too busy shoving Rachel and Finn into the spotlight." Will was looking slightly guilty now so Sam decided to take a more gentle approach._

"_I get it, Mr Shue, they both have amazing voices but so do so many other members of our Glee club. Don't they deserve the chance to shine too?" The blonde slipped his phone back into his pocket, before moving to leave the room. "Just think about it okay?" And with that he was gone, leaving Will to return to his set list plans for Sectionals, scribbling out a large section of ideas until he reached a duet idea he'd had for Mike and Santana and couple of possible solos for Quinn, Kurt and Tina. Maybe it was time to give someone else a chance..._

"So anyway, we've got two duets left to get through today... who wants to go first?" Rachel's hand shot up immediately with its usual enthusiasm. "Okay then. Rachel, Quinn let's see what you've got for us."

The two took their places in front of the group, Rachel stepping forward to speak before they started. "Before we start, I just wanted to explain our song choice. You see, we were originally going to sing 'I kissed a girl'." There were a few scattered laughs of disbelief at this comment. "Say what you like, but we would have won because it basically sums up what Katy Perry's music is all about, being original, unique and not caring what people have to say about it." A few of the group nodded in agreement.

"Well I'm guessing you're wondering why we changed our song choice since this would have pretty much guaranteed our victory... well, sometimes there are things more important than winning. So Kurt?" The counter tenor's eyes shot up to meet Rachel's in surprise. "This song's for you. We don't know what Karofsky did but whatever it was, know that you're safe now. In Glee we're a family, albeit a slightly dysfunctional one. But all that matters is, we look out for each other no matter what. We care about you Kurt." Her words were met with murmurs of agreement from around the room, causing Kurt to smile.

Rachel nodded to the band who then began to play the music, causing the majority of the room to smile in the knowledge that they recognised the song.

_Rachel: Do you ever feel like a plastic bag  
Drifting through the wind  
Wanting to start again_

The brunette gradually lifted her eyes from the floor as she sung these lyrics, her eyes meeting Kurt's as she sung the last words.

_Quinn: Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin  
Like a house of cards  
One blow from caving in_

Quinn's soft tone took over from Rachel's the later holding on her final note slightly to create a brief but interesting blend of vocals.

_Rachel: Do you ever feel already buried deep  
Six feet under scream  
But no one seems to hear a thing_

_Quinn: Do you know that there's still a chance for you  
Cause there's a spark in you_

The two smiled at one another before continuing the song.

_Rachel: You just gotta ignite the light  
And let it shine  
Quinn: Just own the night  
Like the Fourth of July_

_Rachel: Cause baby you're a firework  
Quinn: Come on show 'em what you're worth  
Both: Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"  
As you shoot across the sky-y-y_

Both: Baby you're a firework  
Come on let your colours burst  
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"  
You're gonna leave 'em fallin' down-own-own

The two harmonised on the second repeat of the chorus, creating a stunning blend of vocals that surprised the group. Hadn't they changed their song choice at the last minute? Considering that, and the pair's well known rivalry, this performance was incredible.

_Quinn: You don't have to feel like a waste of space  
You're original, cannot be replaced  
Rachel: If you only knew what the future holds  
After a hurricane comes a rainbow_

Quinn: Maybe you're reason why all the doors are closed  
Rachel: So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road

Rachel: Like a lightning bolt, your heart will blow  
And when it's time, you'll know

Quinn: You just gotta ignite the light  
And let it shine  
Rachel: Just own the night  
Like the Fourth of July

Both: Cause baby you're a firework  
Come on show 'em what you're worth  
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"  
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework  
Come on let your colours burst  
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"  
You're gonna leave 'em all in awe-awe-awe"  
By now, Kurt was smiling widely at his two friends as they sung their hearts out in front of the group. Beside him, Sam couldn't help but grin, the brunette's smile was contagious. He turned back to watch the two girls belt out the song, throwing in the occasional stunning harmonies that left the group staring at the two in awe. Unlike the rest of the room, it wasn't the vocals that blew him away but the emotion. It was obvious that the pair both really cared for Kurt, a fact that he was incredibly grateful of. The brunette needed his friends after what he'd been through. He continued to enjoy the performance, internally reminding himself to thank the pair later.__

Both: Boom, boom, boom  
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon  
Rachel: It's always been inside of you, you, you  
Quinn: And now it's time to let it through

Rachel: Cause baby you're a firework  
Come on show 'em what your worth  
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"  
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Both: Baby you're a firework  
Come on let your colours burst  
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"  
You're gonna leave 'em all in awe-awe-awe

Two girls rushed up the stairs, each grabbing one of Kurt's hands as they pulled him out of his seat, singing the last few lines directly to him as the brunette smiled a huge, face splitting, smile.

_Both: Boom, boom, boom  
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon  
Boom, boom, boom  
Quinn: Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon_

The music faded as the Glee club cheered for the pair enthusiastically. Meanwhile Kurt, in a slightly teary eyed state, hugged the pair tightly. "Thank you." Quinn and Rachel just grinned in reply, hugging the brunette back with equal force.

"Well done Rachel, Quinn. That was incredible. And I'm proud of you both for recognising one of the aims of this assignment; to bring our group closer together as a team. Not only did the two of you put aside your differences to put together this routine but you changed it at the last minute in order to support Kurt." Rachel beamed at the praise causing Quinn to roll her eyes good naturedly.

"Rachel was right when she said that we're a family in here. We are. Whether by choice or not, we have to stick together because, as I've discovered over the last few days, if we all don't look out for each other, no one will." He turned to look at Kurt before continuing. "So I guess it's time to see our last pair. Over to you Kurt and Sam."

**A/N: What did you think? Good? Bad? A mix of both? I'd love to hear your thoughts. And did anyone guess Rachel and Quinn's duet? And finally, can anyone guess Sam and Kurt's duet? I'd love to hear your ideas.**

**Who else is excited for the next episode of Glee? I literally cannot stop listening to 'Loser Like Me' and 'Get It Right'. You'd think by now I would have gotten tired of them but they're still as addictive as ever. Plus we get to hear Chris' voice a lot in the next episode which I can't help but feel excited about! In short, I can't wait to see 'Original Song'!**

**And to anyone who's interested, I've posted a one-shot as a gift to my lovely beta **_**KennyIsOrange**_**. It's called 'A Very Glee Triple Date' (not the most creative name I know). It's a Brittana, Klaine and Finchel fanfic so you may or may not be interested. If you are though, check it out and let me know what you think of it!**

**Speaking of Brittana... in 'Sexy' I was blown away by Naya's acting. It was nice to see Santana's softer side that cares deeply for Brittany but that last scene between them was so bittersweet, it broke my heart. Plus, I loved 'Landslide'. It was beautiful.**

**And on that note, all that I have left to say is thank you for reading this, I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	17. They're Kind of Perfect For Each Other

**A/N: I am so sorry for the late update everyone! Basically, due to issues with my laptop, I had to rewrite this chapter meaning it wasn't finished in time. I can't express how sorry I am to have kept you waiting! Especially since you've all given me such amazing support since I adopted this story!**

**A huge thanks to everyone who's read/alerted/favorited/reviewed this story! You're all amazing and I'm incredibly grateful for your support! Special thanks goes to **_**Onyx Nailo**_**, **_**CrimsynLies**_** (x2), **_**JustAStrangerPassingBy**_**, **_**sydg813**_**, **_**sassy selena**_** and **_**Soul-Kit524**_** for such wonderful reviews! And, as ever, an extra special thanks goes to the lovely **_**KennyIsOrange**_** for being my wonderful (and incredibly fast and efficient) beta!**

**With no further ado, I give you the long awaited Hevans duet (I hope you like the choice I made... I also hope it wasn't **_**too **_**obvious a choice.). Enjoy!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**

The pair took their places as Quinn and Rachel took their seats, the two girls offering each other a brief smile before their attention returned to Sam and Kurt. The later took a deep breath to calm himself, smiling slightly when the blonde beside him squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"Don't worry Kurt, you're gonna be incredible! You're gonna blow them all away and _we_ are gonna win this thing. Okay?" Kurt offered a small smile as he nodded at the jock's words.

"Okay. Thanks Sam." The blonde just nodded in reply, squeezing the soprano's hand a second time, before letting it go as he returned to his place. Kurt, still smiling, offered a quick nod to the band who then began to play the familiar opening notes of the song.

_Kurt: You think I'm pretty  
Without any make-up on  
Sam: You think I'm funny  
When I tell the punch line wrong  
Kurt: I know you get me  
So I'll let my walls come down, down_

Tina smiled as she watched her friend's happy expression as he sung to the blonde. _Those two make quite a sweet couple. And those lyrics are pretty accurate really... I remember seeing Sam turn down some freshman who'd asked him out, telling her that he wasn't a big fan of makeup and that he preferred 'natural beauty' and I swear he looked at Kurt when he said that._

_And Kurt's always laughing around Sam, even when he makes those awful Avatar jokes; he still manages to make the brunette smile. And I think he knows more about the situation with Karofsky than he's saying... he's pretty much been Kurt's bodyguard for the last week- warding off any jocks, star obsessed divas (Rachel) or wanabee news reporters (Jacob)... he must know something we don't. It must be pretty bad if Mercedes, Quinn and I weren't told... I hope Sam continues to look after Kurt. God knows, after all he's been through, he deserves that kind of love._

_Sam: Before you met me  
Kurt: I was alright  
But things were kinda heavy  
Sam: You brought me to life  
Kurt: Now every February  
Sam: You'll be my valentine, valentine_

The pair's eyes met, both grinning madly at one another as the club watched them. Beside a smiling Tina, Mike sat in careful observation of the pair. _They have a lot of chemistry, that much is true. Kind of like me and Tina before we got together...hmm. Yeah those two definitely care about each other. I knew Sam did ever since the locker room confrontation. Since then, he's been very...protective of Kurt. I'm glad, there are too many guys like Karofsky in this school, and someone needs to be there to take a stand against them. Besides, Kurt looks... happy._

Kurt: Let's go all the way tonight  
No regrets, just love  
Sam: We can dance until we die  
You and I  
We'll be young forever

Santana smirked as she noted the flush that appeared on the soprano's cheeks when he sung 'all the way'. _Sometimes that boy is just way too innocent for his own good... he's kind of cute though. And him and Blondie are pretty hot together... plus, it's nice to see Hummel smile. It's been way too long since he's done that and meant it. Blondie is obviously good for him._

_Both: You make me  
Feel like  
I'm living a Teenage Dream  
The way you turn me on  
Kurt: I can't sleep  
Sam: Let's runaway  
And don't ever look back  
Kurt: Don't ever look back_Brittany bobbed along slightly to the music and she smiled widely. _Yay! My Kurtsie's found his dolphin! Now they can get together and make adorable dolphin babies. And I can be their aunt and teach them loads of things like... _The blonde's head creased slightly as she tried to think of ideas, while the Latina turned to look at her fondly, reaching out to link their pinkie's as the song continued.

_Sam: My heart stops  
When you look at me  
Kurt: Just one touch  
Now baby I believe  
Both: This is real  
So take a chance  
Kurt: And don't ever look back  
Sam: Don't ever look back_

Finn looked on in confusion as he watched his almost brother grab Sam's hand at the words 'just one touch'. _Does Kurt like Sam? That might explain the dreamy expression he has on his face whenever the two are near each other... And Sam likes Kurt? Well, I guess that makes sense considering the way he yelled at me for not defending him against Karofsky... does that mean they'll start dating soon? I hope it's before that douche bag returns to McKinley- they'll find things a lot easier if that jerk isn't around to mess things up... It's weird to think of Kurt actually dating someone... but I'm happy for him. Sam better treat him right or I will make it my mission in life to slowly destroy him._

_Kurt: We drove to Cali_  
_And got drunk on the beach_  
_Sam: Got a motel and_  
_Built a fort out of sheets_  
_Kurt: I finally found you_  
_Sam: My missing puzzle piece_  
_Both: I'm complete_

Artie smiled as he saw the pair in front of him practically forget their carefully planned choreography as their eyes met once again. _It's nice to see Kurt so happy... I can't help but envy him slightly though. He's got Sam... I've got no one. But, if anyone deserves love, it's Kurt. I can't begrudge him for finally finding someone who reciprocates his feelings. And Sam actually seems pretty cool. I hope I'm doing the right thing in trusting him with Kurt though; he's already hurting because of Finn. If Sam breaks his heart, it might destroy him._

_Kurt: Let's go all the way tonight  
No regrets, just love  
Sam: We can dance until we die  
You and I  
We'll be young forever_

Puck's eyes drifted from Quinn to look at the two grinning boys who were currently singing their hearts out in front of the group. _Kurt's finally gonna get some! I guess that means Sam is pretty much family now. After all, Kurt and Finn are brothers and me and Finn were bros... that's gotta mean that me and Kurt are practically brothers. And if he and Sam get together... I'll be like his bro in law or something...which is cool with me since Sam seems like a pretty alright dude. He led that attack on that A grade douche; Karofsky when he was terrorising Kurt and he's pretty damn awesome on the field... still, if he hurts Kurt in any way, I'll make his death look like an accident._

Both: You make me  
Feel like  
I'm living a Teenage Dream  
The way you turn me on  
I can't sleep  
Sam: Let's runaway  
And don't ever look back  
Kurt: Don't ever look back

A certain female blonde watched the pair gradually move closer to one another, whether intentionally or not she was unsure, as the song continued. _Maybe I won't need my master plan after all. Maybe they might just realise their feelings on their own. _Suddenly the pair jolted apart as they seemed to remember their choreography causing Quinn to let out a sigh of frustration. _Yeah I'm gonna need that plan. Those two are hopeless... they need help if they're ever gonna find the courage to act on their feelings for each other._ Her eyes began to scan the room, briefly pausing on a certain mowhawked jock who was smiling slightly as he watched the pair perform. _He looks kind of sweet when he smiles like that... I wish he'd smile that way more often. It's kind of beautiful..._

_Sam: My heart stops  
When you look at me  
Kurt: Just one touch  
Now baby I believe  
Both: This is real  
So take a chance  
Kurt: And don't ever look back  
Sam: Don't ever look back_Mercedes watched as her best friend glowed under the attention of the blonde. _They're kind of perfect for each other. I'm glad that we were given this assignment or they might never have grown this close and then I'd never have gotten to see my boy this happy._ She turned her gaze to her other best friend, concern flickering across her features as she thought _This plan of yours better not screw things up between them Q. Sam makes him happy- please don't ruin that._

_Kurt: I might get your heart racing  
In my skin-tight jeans  
Be your teenage dream tonight_

Beside a still slightly confused Finn, Rachel sat grinning madly as Sam and Kurt continued to sing to one another. _It's nice to see Kurt with Sam after the whole Finn nightmare... I always felt like that was partially my fault, the way he reacted. It might not have been as bad if he hadn't already been angry about me and Jesse... he might not have used that word. It's nice to see him healing since he and Sam started growing closer... I guess he's finally moved on. I'm grateful- he is, after all, very similar to me. We're both talented, we both love Finn (just in different ways now) and we both have been through a lot since we joined McKinley. It's nice that Kurt's finally found his own soul mate. He and Sam are destined... I can tell already. Just like me and Finn. And my dads._

Sam: Let you put your hands on me  
In my skin-tight jeans  
Be your teenage dream tonight

The blonde grinned as he sang to the boy in front of him, feeling his heart soar as he noted Kurt's stunning smile as they grew closer. _He's just so perfect. So beautiful, talented, kind, witty, fashionable, brave... he's stunning._

Kurt, meanwhile, gazed adoringly at Sam; for once, not caring how obvious he was being. _I'm sure he likes me... there was that moment before when he was definitely going to lean in. I'm almost certain of it. I'd be pretty annoyed at Brit right now for interrupting, if I didn't love her so much. But... how could he like me? He's just so perfect. So weirdly charming, adorably dorky, sweet, supportive, caring... he's amazing._

Both: You make me  
Feel like  
I'm living a Teenage Dream  
The way you turn me on  
I can't sleep  
Kurt: Let's runaway  
And don't ever look back  
Sam: Don't ever look back

The blonde's thoughts continued to race as the pair sung the chorus again. _It would be so easy to lean forward and kiss him. So easy. He'd probably be supportive; he might even return the feelings... We could be some awesome power couple that gets together in high school and grow old together. Just me and him forever..._

Kurt's thoughts were along similar lines as he considered; _I could make the first move. I could kiss him instead of waiting for him to kiss me... he probably returns my feelings. And then we could be together- kisses in the hallways, slow dancing at prom, corny notes on Valentine's day... Just me and him always..._

_Both: My heart stops  
When you look at me  
Just one touch  
Now baby I believe  
This is real  
So take a chance  
Sam: And don't ever look back  
Kurt: Don't ever look back_

_Kurt: I might get your heart racing  
In my skin-tight jeans  
Both: Be your teenage dream tonight_

_Sam: Let you put your hands on me  
In my skin-tight jeans  
Both: Be your teenage dream tonight_

As the music gradually faded out, a grinning Sam's eyes met the soprano's, rekindling the spark of tension that seemed to fill the air whenever the two were close to one another. Sam considered closing the gap between them, but he hesitated for a moment, worried about making things awkward between them if his feelings weren't reciprocated... he hesitated too long.

Before either could take the initiative to close the gap between them, the song had ended and Mr Shue had put a hand on each of their shoulders as the room broke into applause, reminding them of their audience and causing both boys to quickly dismiss any ideas of a first kiss. Neither wanted the entire Glee club to witness that.

"Great work you two! You both made a really great emotional connection to the song- I could feel you really meant what you were singing! I'm very impressed!" Both boys flushed at the reference to how obvious they had both been about their feelings during the performance. Quinn let out a small sigh when she noted that neither seemed to notice how they weren't alone in their embarrassment... or their feelings.

"Okay, so everyone's performed now. I guess it's time for us to vote. But, before we do, I want to explain why I set you guys this task." The group looked at Will in interest as Kurt and Sam took their seats. "The first aim of this assignment was to bring our group closer together- I noticed that recently, some of you..." His eyes landed on Tina, Artie, Quinn, Rachel, Finn and Santana. "...seemed to be drifting apart. I don't know why but we can't afford that if we want to win Sectionals. We have some pretty talented competitors facing us this year and we need to stand united if we want to make it to Regionals. We work at our best when we all work as a team."

There were several nods which encouraged the Glee club director to continue. "We also have our new member Sam. I thought this would be a good opportunity for him to get to know you all better and to become a part of the group. I'm glad to say it seems to have worked." Sam offered a smile to Mr Shue in agreement before leaning slightly closer to Kurt.

"My reason for choosing Katy Perry as an artist was mainly due to this point; she is, as a few of you have mentioned, an icon. She stands for being original, being unique, being yourself... and never being ashamed of it." Will's eyes scanned the group before he continued. "You are _all _original, you are _all _unique and you are _all_ incredibly talented in your own specials ways. None of you should _ever _be ashamed of being yourselves because, to be honest, you're all pretty incredible people. You're all _icons_, like her, and I wanted you all to embrace that." He smiled. "And you all did. I'm very proud of all of you!"

The teacher walked over to the sheets of paper and pens on the piano and picked them up before handing them out to the group. "Bearing what I've said in mind, I want you all to vote for who you think did this the best. Who reached inside themselves and embraced their true selves? Who worked for the benefit of their team? Make sure you're honest about who you believe deserves to win. I want this to be fair." He paused for a moment, considering something. "And none of you are allowed to vote for yourselves okay?" A few reluctant nods. "Then let's vote for the winner."

The sound of pens meeting sheets of paper were the only thing to fill the tense silence as each member wrote a duet pair on their sheet and handed it to Mr Shue. Kurt smiled at Rachel as he watched her place her sheet on the piano next to the Glee club director who was already beginning to count the votes. He already knew where his vote would lie. Beside him, Sam seemed to be thinking along similar lines.

A few moments of silence passed as the group waited patiently for the winner to be announced. Meanwhile, Will smiled as he noticed that none of the group had attempted to vote for themselves and that they'd all seemed to recognise the achievements of their fellow club members. It was definitely progress from when he'd set the assignment.

"Okay everyone, you all gave incredible performances... but at the end of the day there can only be one winner. So congratulations to our winners of a free dinner at Breadstix..."

**A/N: So what did you guys think? Good? Bad? Liked it but annoyed because I stopped writing there? Let me know! I might just update early this week as an apology for the wait (hopefully my laptop won't play up again and I'll be able to stick to that!).**

**I hope you liked the song choice! I have to admit, since this was Sam and Kurt's duet, I took a LONG time to decide on the choice. Literally, I spent hours with my laptop listening to every Katy Perry song imaginable... not exactly an awful way to spend your time... and even after all of that, I still wanted Teenage Dream (even though it's technically a Klaine song now... I couldn't resist). I just love that song! That's literally all I have to say in my defence.**

**So who do you think will win? I'd love to hear A) Who you think will win, B) Who you want to win and C) Which duet you think was the best (you never know, they may be different). Let me know!**

**I already miss Glee! This wait for the next episode is going to be very hard to get through. I guess I'll just have to rely on re-watching all of the episodes so far and writing this... yeah I should be able to manage! But either way, I'll be a very happy person when Glee returns! Anyone seen the promo for it yet? Terri and Sue working together to take down Glee club? There's so many ways that this could go horribly wrong... I can't wait!**

**With that, I just want to say thanks for reading! You lot are all amazing! I just read the hits figure for 'I Will Repay You' and I almost keeled over in shock. Over 10,000 hits? You lot are incredible! Thank you all so much!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	18. You Made Me Feel Special

**A/N: Sorry that the early update didn't happen- life kind of swamped me a bit this week- I really am sorry everyone. Here have one of Rachel's I'm sorry cookies. A huge thanks goes to anyone who reads/alerts/favourites/reviews this story- it's amazing how happy your support makes me! And this story has now reached **_**75 reviews**_**? WOW! I can't believe it! Thank you all so much!**

**A special thanks goes to **_**CaroPuentes91**_**, **_**RoseBelikov'at'**_**, **_**Onyx Nailo**_**, **_**redpen88**_**, **_**sassy selena, JustAStrangerPassingBy **_**and **_**sydg813**_** for their lovely reviews! And also a huge thanks goes to my friend and incredible beta **_**KennyIsOrange**_**.**

**With no further ado, I give you the next chapter. I hope you all like it! Let me know what you think of it! Enjoy!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**

"... By just one vote, Sam and Kurt!" The room broke out into applause, Quinn, Rachel, Mercedes and Finn all looking pleased with themselves, while Artie, Mike and Santana nodded in acceptance. Tina, Puck and Brittany looked slightly disappointed, but were still supportive in their congratulations as two very confused boys stood up to accept the 'free meal at Breadstix' that Mr Shue was now offering to them.

Sam was the first of the two to snap out of it, turning and grinning at the counter tenor before lifting him into a huge hug and spinning him around in celebration causing the smaller boy to let out a yelp of surprise before laughing as they spun.

Beside them, the Glee director smiled. _Yes there's definitely something going on between those two... or there will be soon. Better keep an eye on them then. None of us want another Karofsky incident on our hands... besides, they both deserve happiness. Especially Kurt. He's been strong for too long, time to let someone else help him to carry the burden._

"Congratulations to both of you! And well done to everyone! I wish I'd been able to give you all a prize because, in my eyes, you're all winners..."

"Yeah, yeah. Save the speech, it's so Disney Channel." Santana murmured as she watched the blonde beside her eye the envelope containing the free meal sadly. Leaning closer to the cheerio, she whispered "Don't worry Brit. You didn't need to win to go to Breadstix, I'll take you there. My treat." Said girl immediately broke into a smile, linking her pinkie with Santana's as she continued to listen as Will began to explain the next assignment.

"Okay so now we're all much closer as a group, I think it's time to explore a more individual side of ourselves. In short, I want you all to forget about everyone else for a minute and focus on yourself. What are your ambitions? Your goals? Your emotions? What makes you who you are?" He smiled as he noticed the looks of excitement on some of the group's faces.

"Basically, your task this week is to find a song that best represents who you are. It can be anything you like..." He looked towards Santana and Puck and revised his statement slightly "As long as it's appropriate. The most important thing is that it tells us all something about you, about who you are. I'm mainly looking for the emotion in this assignment- I'm sure you'll all deliver." He grinned at the group. "I look forward to seeing which songs you've chosen; I'll see everyone next week!"

With that, the room cleared out, everyone animatedly discussing possible song choices for the next assignment. Kurt lagged behind slightly, walking beside the blonde jock as they grinned widely at each other. In front of the pair, Mike and Puck were discussing the last game they'd won thanks to Beiste's 'awesome' coaching. The pair turned to involve Sam in the conversation, giving up when after three attempts; the blonde still remained blissfully unaware of anything besides the stylish counter tenor beside him.

Puck rolled his eyes good-naturedly. _He's so frickin' obvious. I'm shocked that Kurt doesn't see it. He's already whipped and they're not even dating. He's smitten... I'll have to talk to him though. Or he might never get a clue and actually act on those feelings... and then, before he knows it, it'll be too late to do anything about them._

Finn and Rachel hung back as everyone left the room, leaving the two alone with the sheets of paper which the club had voted on. The diva eagerly scanned the sheets, wanting to know how close she had been to victory in the competition. Beside her, Finn watched with a look of amusement... a look which vanished when he saw her hold up his slip of paper.

"Finn? You voted for Kurt and Sam?" He nodded sheepishly as he prepared himself for another 'Rachel Berry diva fit'. So naturally, when he felt the brunette give him a huge hug he was relived, albeit surprised. "Thank you." He raised an eyebrow in surprise at her words. "Don't look at me like that! I can be selfless... occasionally." She added the second part at the incredulous look she received from her boyfriend, causing him to chuckle in amusement.

"They deserved to win and besides... look how happy Kurt was. He was laughing and smiling. He's barely done that since that Neanderthal; Karofsky hurt him. And you helped to give him that feeling." She placed a soft kiss to the jocks lips. "Thank you." She whispered again, slipping her hand into his as she dragged him out of the choir room.

HEVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEAVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEVANS_

Mercedes sighed as she and Quinn watched the two boys give an impromptu rendition of 'We Are The Champions'. It would have been a pretty good attempt if the two didn't keep on laughing whenever Sam would try to lead them in some kind of uncoordinated dance that didn't seem to match the song _at all_. For once, Kurt didn't seem to care, getting into the song just as much as the blonde was until they were belting out the lyrics, causing the others to watch them in amusement.

Brittany surveyed the pair in confusion. "Are they drunk?"

"No Brit. Drunk on victory maybe but not drunk." Mike's words caused the group to laugh slightly.

"Love drunk's probably more like it." A certain ex-cheerio muttered, reminding Mercedes that she still needed to talk to Quinn about her 'master plans' before the sweet but slightly misguided blonde put them into action.

"Hey Q, can I have a word?" Said girl offered Mercedes a smile before nodding. "I guess we'll see you guys later then." In response, the pair were met with several variations of see you then or bye. They left just after Finn and Rachel emerged through the entrance to McKinley, the former walking over to Kurt and asking him for a lift since Puck's car was still being repaired and no one else was willing to give him a lift. The soprano sighed before nodding his agreement and giving Sam a hug goodbye. Both girls didn't fail to notice the starry eyed expression on the blonde's face as he stared at the spot where Kurt's car had been parked, long after the brunette had driven away.

HEVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEAVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEVANS_

The female blonde let out a sigh of frustration as she interrupted the ranting diva in front of her.

"Look Mercedes. I know I've messed up before but this time I promise this plan _will_ work. I've seen it work hundreds of times in similar situations. It has a very high success rate... And this time it'll be even better because no one will be hurt by it. I won't be the victim in this situation; I'll be the accomplice..."

"It's too risky Quinn. What if it doesn't work? Think of how devastated Kurt will be when he finds out about this... I don't want him to feel that way anymore. He's been through enough. Sam makes him happy Q. He deserves happiness..." Mercedes eyes begged the blonde to listen but said blonde seemed to remain oblivious.

"But he'll never be truly happy until he confesses his feelings and discovers they're returned. This plan will speed things along. God knows, without this, they'll never realise..."

"But this plan of yours could so easily cause so much more harm than good! I just don't think it's..." The blonde's expression darkened as she began to grow angry at the lack of trust her best friend was showing her. Did Mercedes really doubt her this much?

"So you don't trust me not to hurt one of my only _real_ friend's feelings? Fine. If you don't want in, I can easily carry this out without you..."

"I'm in Q, you know I am. It's just... don't come crying to me when this all blows up in your face." Her expression softened slightly. "I know you mean well Q, but are you really sure this will work?"

The blonde nodded "It will."

Mercedes studied her friends determined expression before sighing in defeat. "I hope, for Kurt's sake, that you're right about that."

HEVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEAVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEVANS_

**Sam 'Champion' Evans **wants to thank the Glee club for voting for him and **Kurt Hummel** as the winners of the duets assignment!

(**Kurt Hummel and 4 others like this**)

**Kurt Hummel **would also like to thank **Santana Lopez **for deleting that video of our 'victory high' afterwards.

(**Sam Evans and Santana Lopez like this**)

**Santana Lopez** I was meant to delete that? But I already sent it to Brit, Finn and Mercedes...oops ;) Sorry

(**Noah 'Puck' Puckerman and Finn Hudson like this**)

**Kurt Hummel** *bashes head on keyboard* Why Santana? Why would you do this? Have you any idea how long Finn's going to use this as blackmail?

(**Finn Hudson and 3 others like this**)

**Finn Hudson** hmm. Well considering that you told Burt about me and Rachel last week... I could just send this to that creepy reporter kid...

**Kurt Hummel** You wouldn't!

(**Finn Hudson likes this**)

**Finn Hudson** what makes you say that Kurtsie?

(**Mercedes Jones, Quinn Fabray and 4 others like this**)

**Kurt Hummel** I live with you Finn- and I have way more dirt on you than you do on me... or do you want me to bring up the 'gap incident?'...

(**Noah 'Puck' Puckerman and Rachel 'Star' Berry like this**)

**Finn Hudson** You wouldn't!

(**Kurt Hummel likes this**)

**Kurt Hummel **Really? What about the 'cookie disaster' or 'the incredibly awkward conversation you had with that charity worker'...

(**Sam 'Champion' Evans, Mercedes Jones and 2 others like this**)

**Finn Hudson **Okay! I've deleted the video!

(**Kurt Hummel likes this**)

**Kurt Hummel** Just face it Finn. When it's me you're dealing with, you'll never win!

(**Sam Evans, Mercedes Jones and 8 others like this**)

**Mercedes Jones **Don't worry Kurt, Brit accidentally deleted the video when she tried to watch it.

**Brittany S. Pierce **The buttons confuse me... :(

**Santana Lopez **Don't worry about it Brit :)

(**Brittany S. Pierce likes this**)

**Mercedes Jones** I, however still have it and will use it to get another shopping trip out of you this weekend. After that, I might delete... :)

**Kurt Hummel** Dammit Cedes! Why must you betray me like this?

(**Sam 'Champion' Evans likes this**)

**Kurt Hummel **Sam you traitor!

(**Sam Evans and Mercedes Jones like this**)

HEVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEAVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEVANS_

Kurt grinned to himself as he logged out of Facebook, his mind wandering back to the way he'd felt while he and Sam had been singing together. There had been this 'energy' between them... surely he couldn't have been imagining it? And now they were going to Breadstix together... it was perfect.

Hopefully, he'd finally get an idea of how things stood between them in their relationship and maybe, just maybe, he'd work up the courage to make his feelings known to the blonde... maybe. Despite the various signals he'd been sure he was receiving, he was still terrified of rejection... so terrified that he was scared to take the risk. Maybe, if he was really lucky, Sam would make a move so Kurt wouldn't have to. But... what if Sam was thinking the same about him?

The soprano was broken out of his musings when he heard his phone start to ring. Grabbing it from where it sat on his bed, he scanned the caller id, smiling slightly at the name it showed.

"Hey Sam!"

"Hi. You excited about Breadstix tomorrow?" _Yes, but not for the reasons you might think._

"Yeah it should be fun! I can't believe we actually won!" He heard the sound of the blonde's soft laughter echoing on the other side of the phone, giving the soprano a feeling of warmth as he listened to the rich sound.

"I'm not. I always said we had the unfair advantage of having you- looks like I was right!" Kurt flushed slightly.

"Come on Sam, give yourself more credit. You were amazing out there."

"Well you were better."

"No you were."

"No, I believe that was you." Kurt rolled his eyes at the predictable response.

"Okay, I think we should just agree to disagree. Otherwise we'll be here forever."

"Good point... So, any ideas for the next assignment yet?"

"Naturally. But I won't reveal them yet, I want it to be a surprise."

"Hmm. Mysterious. Well you've got me interested now. I'll warn you, I might try to sneak it out of you at Breadstix."

"We shall see Evans."

"We shall... and for the record I'm glad it was you I was paired with for the duets assignment. I was pretty nervous when I joined Glee club but you made me feel welcome, like I belonged there. And you were so patient with me, putting so much of your own time into helping me learn the routine... you made me feel special." Kurt's smile was so wide it actually hurt slightly, but the counter tenor didn't really mind. "You're so funny and brave and... well to be honest..." the brunette held his breath as he waited for the blonde's next words. "... you're my best friend." The smile on the soprano's face waned slightly as he noted the word '_friend'._

Meanwhile, in another house in Lima Ohio, a certain jock berated himself, yet again, for his poor choice of words. _'Best Friends'. Really? Is that the best I can do? I can't even tell him how I feel over the phone, how the hell am I ever meant to tell him in person..._ the blonde let out a soft sigh as he waited for Kurt's response.

"Thanks Sam. You're my best friend too and I'm also very glad we got paired together for the duets assignment. And I didn't make you special, you are special. I just made you realise that. You really don't give yourself enough credit." Sam smiled slightly at this.

"Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, see you then." Both boys hung up, heads filled with thoughts of each other and whether or not their feelings were requited or not as they both lay down to rest... so neither noticed they were being watched.

HEVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEAVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEVANS_

Carol Hudson watched as her 'son', Kurt, closed his eyes, smiling slightly at the blissful look that had appeared on his face when he'd gotten the phone call and had remained there for the duration of his conversation with _Sam Evans_. She had always known that there was something between those two, ever since she'd met the blonde the first time they'd rehearsed for their duet, she'd spotted _that look_ in his eyes whenever his gaze shifted to the soprano.

_That look_ of ... she was reluctant to say love, considering their age, but she couldn't really describe it in any other way. _That look_, full of adoration, admiration and a fierce protective streak... it made her feel that her son was in safe hands, for which she was eternally grateful. She wondered if Burt had noticed yet... she resolved to talk to him about it later as she, quietly, stepped away from the door before returning to the comfort of her own bed and closing her eyes.

HEVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEAVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEVANS_

Jennifer Evans grinned widely as she eavesdropped on her son's conversation. So this girl he was interested in was in Glee club? Plus, she sounded really supportive and caring... she looked forward to meeting the girl who had managed to win her son's heart. Would she be smart? She hoped so. Caring? With someone like Sam, definitely. Maybe she'd help to persuade her son that he should spend a bit more time with her, with his family. They'd been so close once... before they'd moved.

Now she was lucky if her son would even acknowledge her existence. She wanted _her_ son back. The one who'd been so dependent on her for support, for comfort, for love. She still remembered that night when a young blonde haired boy had overheard one of his parent's fights and had claimed he would never forgive her... it seemed he had long forgotten his reasoning for it, but the deep rooted resentment of her had remained.

What had she really done wrong though? The move had been for the best, for all of them. She'd done the _right _thing. Why could no one see that? She was sure that this girl, whoever she was, would understand her plight... yes she would help her, and then she would have her little 'Sammie' back.

She gently placed a kiss on the blonde's forehead, savouring her one reminder of a time when she and her son were close, when her family was whole and happy. She dearly missed those days. And so what if sometimes she treated him like a child... he was one still... At least he was in her eyes.

HEVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEAVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEVANS_KUM_SKURT_GLEE_HEVANS_

Sam strode down the hallways of McKinley, seemingly without a care in the world given the huge grin stretched across his face. Inside, things were considerably different. He was nervous. First period hadn't even started yet, but all that occupied the blonde's mind was thoughts of Kurt and Breadstix... and how many different ways he could screw things up. Yes, Sam Evans was a nervous wreck.

This might have explained why said jock jumped about half a foot in the air when he felt a hand grab his shoulder. He turned to scowl at his, now smirking 'attacker'.

"What the hell Puck? Don't sneak up on me like that!" The mohawked jock continued to look unrepentant as he replied.

"Sorry dude. But you have to admit, that was frickin' hilarious." Sam rolled his eyes.

"So did you want to talk about something or...?" Puck nodded, his expression becoming more serious as he steered Sam away from the overcrowded hallways and towards the empty choir room. Confused but equally intrigued, the blonde took a seat on the choir bench while the other teen opted to lean on the piano behind him.

"Look Evans. I've got three things to say to you. First off; I know you like Hummel..." the blonde opened his mouth to deny the jock's statement but then seemed to reconsider arguing. He nodded. "Thought so. Dude, you're kind of obvious about it with the looks and the protectiveness... hell I think pretty much everyone knows how you feel about him..." Puck noted how the other teen paled slightly at the implications of those words "...except Kurt. He's as clueless as ever." The blonde still looked pretty worried. "Okay everyone was a bit of an overstatement; it's basically ND that knows, minus Kurt..." He sighed realising his was getting sidetracked. "...look that's not important. Point is I know how you feel and I'm glad. You guys deserve each other."

"Thanks I guess..." Puck just raised an eyebrow and leaned slightly closer to the blonde.

"But just so you know, while I think you're a pretty cool guy, that won't stop me from kicking your ass if you hurt him anyway so don't... got it?" He got a nod in reply. "Okay. So, the third thing is... I know you might not be ready to tell anyone about Kurt or you being gay so I won't say anything. Your secrets safe just... don't wait too long to tell him how you feel." Puck's eyes flickered away from Sam for a moment to the seat where Quinn had sat yesterday in Glee club- _she'd looked so beautiful then_.

"I waited too long for Quinn, and I regret that every day. What kills me is if I'd realised sooner how I felt, we might be together now but... she moved on. She's happy on her own now. She doesn't need me in her life to screw things up for her. It hurts to see her so happy without me but... I _love _her. I want what's best for her and for Quinn what's best is being as far away from me as possible." Sam couldn't help but feel a great sense of pity for the broken boy in front of him. It was obvious how much he cared for the ex-cheerio. The blonde hoped that things would change between the pair in the future... the unlikely duo did make quite a sweet couple.

"But with you and Kurt, what he needs is you. Cause the difference between me and you is you deserve him... I don't deserve her. Just don't lose your chance over something stupid like I did. Okay?" Sam offered another nod, leaving the mohawked jock alone with his thoughts of a certain angelic female who had captured his heart.

**A/N: So who guessed the winners? I know quite a few of you did from the reviews I received so well done to everyone for your impressive guessing skills! I have to admit, choosing a winner was a hard decision- one that I only made about two chapters ago and even then I was tempted to change my mind. In the end though, my love for Hevans won out... just.**

**Oh and in case anyone was interested in who voted for each duet, here's how the voting turned out:**

**1****st**** Place Kurt/Sam** **(4 votes- Rachel, Mercedes, Quinn and Finn)**

**2****nd**** Place Rachel/Quinn (3 votes- Kurt, Puck and Sam)**

**3****rd**** Place Mike/Brittany (2 votes- Tina and Santana)**

**4****th**** Place Mercedes/Puck (1 vote-Artie)**

**4****th**** Place Tina/Artie (1 vote- Mike)**

**4****th**** Place Santana/Finn (1 vote-Brittany)**

**Hope you all liked this chapter, it's the second last in my first 'arc' of this story (it's not the end don't worry!). The next chapter will focus on the meal at Breadstix, rounding off the first arc of the story (the duets/Karofsky arc) and leading as into the second arc of this story... I won't say what that arc includes just yet, you'll know pretty soon.**

**On a different note entirely, has anyone got any guesses as to what the members of ND might sing for the solos assignment? Let me know! I'd love to hear your theories!**

**And with that, I just have one final thing to say before I start drafting out the next chapter and that's; thank you everyone for reading this story! The response I've gotten for this story has done wonders for my confidence as an author to the point where I'm full of ideas for fanfics (just lacking time to write them) whereas, before I adopted this, I had a major Glee writers block- you all give me inspiration and I can't thank you enough for that!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	19. He's Confused, That Makes Two Of Us

**A/N: I am SO sorry for another late update! Long story short, yesterday wasn't a great day for me but I'm here now with the new (and quite long) chapter of 'I Will Repay You'! I hope you can all forgive me for the extra long wait! Oh and apologies in advance, the next chapter will probably be up a bit late since I'll be abroad (and sadly away from my laptop) meaning that I won't be able to post the chapter until possibly a week later- if this turns out to be the case, I'll aim for a double update that week to make it up to you!**

**Thank you to everyone who has ever read/reviewed/favourited/alerted this story! It really means the world to me to know that so many of you enjoy my writing- it's a bit overwhelming and very encouraging! Thanks so much! Special thanks to **_**RoseBelikov'at'**_**, **_**Onyx Nailo**_**, **_**CrimsynLies**_**, **_**sassy selena**_**, **_**sydg813**_** and **_**the anonymous reviewer who I have dubbed 'mysterious reviewer'**_** (because it was all I could come up with). You lot are my muses- you give me inspiration!**

**And, as always, majorly huge thanks to my lovely beta **_**KennyIsOrange**_**.**

**With no further ado, the final chapter of Arc 1 of 'I Will Repay You'... I'm feeling a bit emotional right now... Enjoy!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**

"This is hopeless!" A distressed brunette paced across his room, the four girls scattered around the floor letting out sighs ranging from concern to frustration.

"No it isn't Kurt you could always wear this one..." Rachel lifted one of the nicer (in her opinion) jackets from where it lay on the bed alongside other piles of clothes, all strewn in disarray and slightly crumpled. If the pacing brunette was himself, he would probably be horrified by the amount of time that would have to be taken to smooth over the creases.

"Are you kidding me? It doesn't match the outfit at all! What were you thinking?" The shorter diva's look of hope crumpled slightly as she placed the jacket on another (considerably larger) pile that cluttered the floor.

"I'm sorry I was just..."

"And why would I take advice from the person who somehow manages to look like some weird cross between a grandma and a toddler all at once- this really is hopeless!" Rachel looked slightly hurt by this comment, causing Quinn to let out another sigh before offering the brunette diva a comforting smile.

"Don't take it personally Rachel; he's been like this most of today. He's just unnecessarily worried about tonight..." Kurt stopped pacing at the blonde's word, raising an eyebrow when he noted the word 'unnecessarily' among the ex-cheerios words of comfort.

"My concern is perfectly justified! I'll be at Breadstix with Sam... alone. I have to look perfect! And I ca... what the hell is that Cedes? I thought I told you to burn that jacket..."

"Okay look Kurt. You may be my boy but insult another person who's trying to help you and I'll have to slap some sense into your smitten little head. Calm down okay?" Kurt rolled his eyes but still took a deep breath before taking a seat beside his frustrated best friend.

"Sorry Cedes and sorry Rachel... I'm just nervous." He let out a sigh. "I just really don't wanna screw things up. Sam's really important to me. He's either the first boy to ever show any actual interest in me..." Kurt tried to ignore the memories of the_ real_ first boy who'd shown 'interest'... with the death threats, sweaty hands; dark murderous eyes... some things were better left forgotten.

"...Or he's the closest friend I've ever had..." He noted the looks of hurt on the girl's faces, prompting him to amend his words slightly "...Well the closest male friend anyway. You four will all always hold a special place in my heart...you're like the sisters I always wanted." The hurt looks vanished, replaced with happy grins as the group pulled Kurt into a somewhat awkward hug considering they were all still sitting and that there was a considerably large pile of shoes piled up in between them.

Eventually they pulled away, allowing Kurt to continue. "Look, my point is... either way he means a lot to me... I don't want to miss out on my chance of having a loving relationship with him... but I'm also terrified of losing him if I admit my feelings and they're not reciprocated." His eyes met Rachel's as he continued. "I'm sorry for snapping at you Rachel, it was uncalled for. I'm just stressed about Sam and Karofsky... but that's no excuse. It wasn't right to take my anger out on you."

"It's fine." She offered a smile. "We all have times when we feel like the world is against us. Just remember that one day, most of that world will be made up of our screaming fans...okay?" Kurt smiled and nodded at the brunette diva's words.

"Thanks Rachel." Tina let out a triumphant cry as she fished out a jacket from the pile beside her, still grinning as she held it up to the others for inspection.

"How about this one _Kurtsie_?" Ignoring the nickname (for once) the counter tenor opted to take the jacket from Tina's waiting hands, matching it up to the rest of his carefully planned outfit.

"It's perfect Ti." The group grinned at his words, relieved that they had _finally_ managed to find the 'perfect' outfit for the 'Hevans' meal at Breadstix... now they just had to find the right shoes and scarf to match it. Quinn let out a sigh as the group began to sift through the pile of shoes that lay between them... it was gonna be a long night.

KURT_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURY_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS

In another part of Lima, Ohio; a certain blonde was pacing in a similar fashion to how Kurt had been previously, all of the blonde's thoughts focussed on said counter tenor as he attempted to calm himself down.

_Get a grip Sam! It's just a meal out as FRIENDS. You're not even paying for it- it's just a prize from the duets assignment. Breathe in, breathe out. You will stick to these four rules. You will remain calm. You will not make yourself look like an idiot in front of Kurt Hummel tonight. You will not show him how nervous you are. And you will not talk about Avatar too much... Okay that's gonna be hard to stick to. Maybe just the first three then... if I'm lucky._

Sam let out a sigh as he slung himself down onto the edge of his bed. _I'm being ridiculous. Kurt's probably fine right now. Just putting the final touches to an outfit which no doubt look perfect... well he always looks perfect to me... and yes I'm probably biased in that view. Point is, he's probably not even slightly worried about tonight and here I am freaking out... deep breaths Sam, breathe deep. Okay... that's better._

As he continued to breathe his mind wondered to Puck's words of advice from earlier. _'...don't wait too long to tell him how you feel.' _Could he really tell Kurt though? Was he brave enough? After all, the brunette might not reciprocate his feelings and then what would he do? He didn't think he could live without the soprano anymore. Without his stunning smile, his gentle laugh, his sense of humour. Without his beautiful voice, sense of style and mesmerising eyes. He couldn't risk sacrificing that by admitting his feelings could he? _'Just don't lose your chance over something stupid...'_ But what if Kurt felt the same way and he ended up losing him by _not _confessing how he felt?

The blonde ran a hand through his hair as he let out another sigh. Why was everything so damn confusing? Why couldn't life be simple? Why couldn't Kurt be easier to understand? Why couldn't everything just... fall into place? He hated the confusion of not knowing how the brunette felt... but how could he try to find out if he was afraid of the answer he might receive?

KURT_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURY_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS

"I think you're ready." The four girls grinned, exchanging high fives in triumph as they watched Kurt straighten out a few stray hairs that had flicked out of place. The look of worry was still visible in his eyes but was dulled slightly by a sense of excitement.

"As I'll ever be." Tina placed a comforting hand on the brunette's shoulder as she offered him a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry Kurt, you'll be fine." The soprano offered a slight smile and a nod in return before turning to his best friend who was beginning to clear up some of the clothes that cluttered the floor.

"Cedes. Can I talk to you alone for a minute?" Said girl nodded and the two made their way upstairs, past where Burt and Finn sat watching some kind of sport on the TV, laughing and cheering as the game continued, before they reached the empty hallway.

"Okay Kurt spill. What's on your mind?"

"Okay, I know I'm getting ridiculously worked up over this but... I'm just afraid of getting hurt again. I thought I was in love with a straight guy before... and it sucked. Watching him with other people, with girls, watching them hold hands, kiss, smile... in the end I was more jealous that they were able to do that with someone they loved without being judged than I was that they had Finn." Mercedes nodded in understanding. She'd had a feeling that Kurt hadn't quite loved his now almost brother as much as he might have believed at the time.

"They got love and acceptance, I got dumpster dives and loneliness... then Sam came along and... now I have hope that maybe I can have that love, that acceptance..." Kurt's mind briefly flickered to the Neanderthals on the football team, he amended his words "...well at least from some people. I...I'm not ready to lose that hope yet. And as long as I don't tell him how I feel... he can never reject me... and I can still dream. I need that to stay sane." His voice lowered to a whisper as he heard the telltale sounds of Finn getting up to grab something from the kitchen.

"It's... a little terrifying how much I care about him Cedes. I think I love him and I know now that what I felt for Finn had to be infatuation... because the mere thought of him rejecting me hurts so much more than Finn's words ever did..." His words were cut off at that point as said incredibly tall football player chose that moment to burst into the room, searching for the Doritos he'd hidden there earlier. The two waited patiently for him to leave, rolling their eyes as they watched him take a huge handful from the bag, cramming them all into his mouth and then letting out a muffled 'whoop' as if he'd just made some great achievement. "No matter how long I live with Finn, I'll never understand him. He's just hopeless." Mercedes just nodded in agreement as the sounds of Burt and Finn's cheering once again filled the room.

"Back to Sam... There's more to this than just your fear of being hurt isn't there?" The brunette nodded. "So tell me." Kurt let out a sigh before replying.

"We both know how amazing Sam is, hell I've talked about it enough times for you to get the idea by now, it's just... he's got this 'image' of me that's this glorified perfect superhero or something like that. I'm scared that one day he'll see through this illusion and realise what I really am... Imperfect and afraid. That boy is _perfect_ Cedes. I'm just not... good enough for hi..."

"Oh hell to the no! You did not just say that Kurt! If anything, he's not good enough for you. You're one of the bravest, sweetest, most talented and beautiful people on the planet. _Never_ doubt that! Okay? Sam's lucky to have you! You more than deserve him." Her eyes met Kurt's as she whispered the next words. "Anyone would be lucky to have you Kurt, you're amazing!" And with that, she pulled her best friend into a brief tight hug before squeezing his hand gently and dragging him back towards the basement where Rachel, Tina and Quinn had finished clearing away the clothes and were now relaxing on the bed, laughing at something Tina had told them about her and Mike's last 'Asian' date.

"Are you serious? He made you eat a salad with Chicken feet in it?" Quinn asked between laughs.

"Don't laugh! It was traumatic!"

"Tina's right! Those poor chicken's have rights you know!" The two girls rolled their eyes at the comment.

"It's still hilarious Rachel! You have to admit that."

"Well the part with Mike's cousin was slightly amusing I'll give you that..."

"Admit it Berry, you found that as funny as I did."

"Only if you admit that you're still interested in a certain male Jew." Quinn's mouth dropped open slightly in surprise at the female brunette's teasing while Tina gave her a look of respect.

"Not bad Berry. We'll make you one of us yet. Now all you need to do is go through the mandatory shopping trip with Kurt. Survive that and you can survive anything."

"Hey!" The girls turned to see Kurt and Mercedes standing in the doorway, laughing as they noted Kurt's mock hurt face.

"Sorry Kurtsie but it's true. You're kind of intimidating when you shop." Tina admitted gaining nods of agreement from the other two girls who'd witnessed him 'in action'.

"I resent... actually you might have a point."

"Remembering the beige jacket incident K?" Mercedes teased, prompting the blonde who was now stood beside her to laugh slightly at the memory.

"I have no idea what you're talking about... or do you want me to bring up the black jeans incident?" Quinn laughed even more at this while the girl beside her flushed slightly in embarrassment.

"Let's just not go into that okay? Besides, it's almost time." The girls all let out excited giggles as Kurt took deep calming breaths.

"You okay Kurt?"

"I guess."

"Nervous?"

"Terrified."

"Excited."

"Hell yeah." The girls all exchanged looks of amusement.

"I think he's ready."

KURT_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURY_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS

_Okay Sam. You can do this. You can do this. You can... no you can't. You're terrified and you're bound to do something stupid because of that._ The blonde let out a sigh, telling the paranoid part of his brain to shut the hell up. He was nervous enough as it was without his subconscious making things worse.

He didn't even notice the presence of another person in the room until the sound of a throat being cleared entered the silence of his room.

"Mum?" The woman smiled. "What do you want?" She just continued to beam silently, taking a seat on the edge of her son's bed before speaking.

"I've noticed you've been a bit distracted recently. I'm guessing love has something to do with it?" She fought back a chuckle at the look of surprise on her son's face, he was just too easy to read.

"How..."

"Call it mother's intuition. Now, who is this girl? She must be special for you to be this interested in her." The blonde's mind only half registered his mother's words as his mind continued to wonder to Breadstix and a certain soprano.

"Yes special and amazing." Sam took a quick glance at the clock on his wall, panicking slightly when he noticed the time. "...And they're probably going to be pretty annoyed at me if I'm late so I'd better go." He began to rush out of the room, not noticing his mother's disappointed face as she watched her son leave.

_He never stays to talk anymore. When he was young, he'd come to me about everything... I miss that. _She let out a sigh as she lay back on her son's bed for a moment, trying to cast her mind back to the memories she'd had before the move. To a better time, when her family was whole and she was happy. To a time when she was her son's confidant, back when they were close. She missed that more than anything in the world... but she still couldn't regret her actions that had led to her separation from him.

She loved him enough to want the best for him... even if making sure he had that best had cost her their relationship. In the end, when he settled down with this girl and lived a happy lifestyle, it would all be worth it... she hoped.

KURT_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURY_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS

After hugging the girls goodbye, Kurt began to attempt to sneak past Burt and Finn as they continued to watch... well, whatever it was they were watching. A feat that proved unsuccessful when Burt turned to face his son with a look on his face that clearly said 'you really think I wouldn't notice you sneaking out?'

One very awkward conversation about Sam Evans, love, boyfriends and being 'responsible' later, Kurt happily fled the room, rushing towards the door as he heard the doorbell ring.

"Hey Sam" Said blonde offered Kurt a grin.

"Hey, you ready?" The brunette nodded.

"As I'll ever be. Let's go." And with that the two walked, hand in hand, towards Sam's car, not noticing their audience who were following closely behind the pair with varying looks of interest etched across their features.

KURT_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURY_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS

"Move over Berry I can't see them!" Mercedes shoved said girl slightly as they all attempted to peer casually out of their booth to where Kurt and Sam were sat, laughing at a joke the blonde had just told. Of course, being casual instantly became a lot more challenging when the four girls attempted to peer out of one tiny booth at the same time, causing elbowing, complaining, whining (ala Rachel Berry) and a lot of weird looks from other tables.

Thankfully though, the pair who they were observing seemed too caught up in each other to notice the spies on the other end of the restaurant.

"Give her a break Cedes! These booths are tiny." Quinn shifted slightly to make herself more comfortable. "And besides, none of us have that great a view. We just _had_ to get the table behind the giant plant." The girls all frowned at said plant before once again attempting to peer around it in order to watch the two boys who now appeared to be discussing RENT.

KURT_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURY_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS

"...I'm horrified Sam, horrified. We must remedy this problem immediately! RENT is one of the greatest musicals of all time. It really delves into human emotion, love, loss, life. It's incredible!"

"Well so is Avatar but you still won't watch that with me." Kurt let out a good natured sigh.

"Fine. We'll compromise. If you watch RENT, I'll watch Avatar that way we'll both be satisfied." The blonde nodded.

"Sounds fair." The two grinned at each other. "Now Kurt, is it true that at Breadstix, they're legally forbidden to stop bringing you Breadsticks?" The brunette nodded, looking slightly amused as he observed the blonde's reaction. "Awesome!" Kurt just shook his head as his eyes scanned the menu.

KURT_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURY_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS

"Okay Tina, what can you see?" The group had given up on all looking out at the same time so they were taking turns to spy on the pair; it was a lot less cramped this way.

"Um. They're laughing. And... Aww. I think they're holding hands under the table. That's adorable."

"Yeah they do that a lot these days. It's sweet but also incredibly frustrating since they're both so clueless." Mercedes nodded before tapping Tina on the shoulder.

"My turn to spy." The other girl sighed but leant back, allowing her friend to peer around the plant to watch the two gleeks. "Okay they've just ordered. I think they're talking about cheerios now."

"How can you tell?" Rachel asked in confusion.

"He just made the Sue sees it sign."

"Seriously?" The blonde girl let out another sigh. "Honestly, those two are at Breadstix, alone, and they're talking about Sue of all people?"

"Apparently yes and... wait hang on. Phone's going off."

KURT_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURY_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS

"Okay now that's where you're... wait a second. Did you just see a flash of black behind that plant or am I seeing things?" Sam turned to look at the plant in question, noticing as a flash of colour passed between the artificial leaves.

"No but I do see a jacket similar to the one Mercedes wore earlier." He let out a slight chuckle. "Are they really spying on us?"

"I wish I could say no way. They'd never invade my privacy like that but... they're my friends. They definitely would and probably are doing so right now." One look in the direction of the plant confirmed his suspicions and he had to fight back a sigh as he heard the distinct sound of Mercedes' voice carrying through the room.

"Could you keep talking Sam? Just give me a second, and make it look like we haven't noticed them yet. Okay?" The blonde looked confused but did as Kurt said, crinkling his brow in confusion at the gesture the brunette made. "Long story- it's a cheerio thing that I'll explain to you later. And...Sent."

KURT_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURY_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS

"Oh God, this isn't good." Quinn snatched the phone out of her friends hand, frowning slightly as she read the message.

_I know you four are here. While it's sweet that you care so much, it's also slightly creepy and I'd like to actually spend this dinner ALONE with Sam so... could you please leave? If not, there will be consequences. This is your only warning._

_Kurt x_

"And this is why spying is a bad idea. Not only is it dishonest and an invasion of privacy but it's also really easy to get caught..."

"Why are you here then if you didn't want to spy Rachel?" The brunette looked ready to protest but instead she seemed to decide it wasn't worth it, merely frowning (sulking) as the other's debated whether or not to leave. In the end, after a powerful death glare from Kurt, they decided that it was in their best interests to leave while the brunette was still in a reasonably good mood with them, exiting Breadstix and walking through the fresh air until they reached Quinn's house which Mercedes and Rachel were going to stay at overnight (since Rachel's dads were visiting relatives and Mercedes was practically family to the Fabrays now). Tina offered the group a wave before walking towards her own house with a smile on her face.

KURT_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURY_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS

A few laughs, two meals, a lot of breadsticks, a couple of cokes and a lot of talking later, Sam and Kurt were sat across from each other, grinning at they tried not to make too much of a mess with the desert (which was covered with far too much whipped cream to be considered healthy), smiling at one another as they enjoyed each other's company.

"Kurt can I ask you something?" The brunette nodded.

"What was it like, coming out to everyone?" Kurt's face creased slightly in confusion. Sam, misreading this as offence or hurt quickly tried to amend his words. "You don't have to tell me of course. I'd never make you. I'm just curious; you don't have to answer..." He was cut off by the other boy's laughter.

"It's fine. I was just surprised that you asked." His eyes met Sam's before he began. "Well the first person I told was Mercedes. She'd had a crush on me so I had to set her straight on the situation. Shortly after, I told my dad and then after that was the Glee club. I never really had to 'come out' to McKinley though. I think they, and probably my dad, knew before even _I_ did." He grinned sheepishly. "I guess, for most people, it was because I'm more than a bit _flamboyant_ than the average guy and for the others... I guess maybe they just knew." He shrugged as he said the last words.

"But to answer the question. It took me months to admit who I really was even to myself. I guess coming to terms with yourself is never easy. Once I'd told dad and Mercedes though, and they hadn't rejected me, things became a lot easier. I guess I was just scared of losing them." He grinned slightly. "I know now that I was stupid to even consider that I might... It's a relief to know that, if all else fails, they'll always be there for me." Sam nodded in understanding.

"Now, you don't have to answer but... could I ask you why you asked that question?" The blonde seemed to take a moment to consider Kurt's question before nodding.

"Kurt. I think I..." He was cut off there by the waitress who had walked over to their table with the bill, waiting until the boys gave her the free meal coupon before taking away their plates, leaving the pair in an awkward silence as they watched her leave.

KURT_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURY_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS

After the encounter with the waitress, the evening had continued in a strained, awkward fashion until the two parted on Kurt's doorstep, the blonde giving him a quick but warm hug before driving away like a madman. The brunette sighed as he leant back against the door.

_Why did the blonde have to be so damn confusing? What had he been about to say before that waitress had come along? And why wouldn't he tell me afterwards? What could be so hard to sa... Was he about to... tell me he was gay?_ Kurt's head reeled at the implications of this potential confession.

_Does this mean I have a chance with him? No! Get it together Kurt, you don't even know if he's actually gay or not. And even if he was, what's to say he'd like you? For all you know he could have a boyfriend, or he might be in a secret relationship... hell, he might even be interested in Finn for all you know... okay that last one was taking it too far but the other two are feasible._

_But... he could also like you. He's spent a lot of time with you recently, he's always trying to make you smile and laugh, he's defended you countless times and he almost tried to kiss you... he must like you at least a little bit... but what if it's as a friend_.

Kurt let out another frustrated sigh._ Why did boys have to be so confusing? They should come with some kind of handbook to make things easier because this was just ridiculous._

He flung himself onto his bed, rolling over to grab his phone from it holder on his bedside table. He scanned through his contacts, his eyes landing on one name in particular. On a whim, he pressed call, waiting patiently until the sounds of a certain female brunette could be heard on the other end of the line.

"Hey Rachel."

"Hi Kurt. How did Breadstix go?" She heard the sigh from the other boy, causing her to frown slightly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine, don't worry. Breadstix was great, for the most part..."

"Oh did our spying mess things up? I'm sorry if it did..."

"No Rach, it wasn't that. Don't worry." The female's brow crinkled in confusion.

"Then what went wrong?"

"Well basically, we were talking and then, out of the blue, Sam asks me about what my coming out was like." A quiet mm was all he got in response, prompting him to continue. "So I told him about Mercedes and my dad and how pretty much everyone seemed to know about me before I did... and then I asked him why he wanted to know." He paused for a moment before continuing. "And Sam began to reply when the waitress came to our table with the check. By the time he'd given her the voucher and she'd taken our plates, there was this awkwardness to the situation. We barely even talked on the way home."

"It sounds like he's confused."

"That makes two of us." Kurt half sighed in reply. "Rach can I ask you something and you'll promise to be brutally honest with me about it."

"Of course you can Kurt. What do you want to know?"

"...Do you think that there's any chance of Sam liking me in a non-platonic way?" There was a short moment of silence before Rachel replied.

"Yes. I'm almost certain that his feelings extend beyond that of friendship. I'm just not sure whether or not he's aware of that yet. Give him time Kurt and he'll realise how he feels for you." She smiled as she pictured Sam eventually confessing his feelings to the brunette, the grin only widening as other images of the couple flashed in her mind; slow dancing at prom, kissing in the halls, going on double dates with her and Finn. Her heart thrilled at the look of absolute happiness that was always present on the male soprano's face in every one of these images. She looked forward to seeing them become a reality.

"Thanks Rachel."

"Anytime. You know, we may have our fights and our diva offs but at the end of the day, I've got your back. Whenever you need someone to talk to, just call. I'll try to make sure that I'll always be there to answer."

KURT_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS_GLEE_KURY_HUMMEL_SAM_EVANS_KUM_HEVANS

_Didn't do it, couldn't do it, such an idiot, gonna lose him, such a coward, what's wrong with me?_ The internal mantra repeated itself several times as the blonde paced across his room. Why couldn't he have just finished his sentence. He'd been so close, so close to confessing but apparently fate was a bitch and had decided that the waitress would arrive at exactly that time, just like Finn and Brittany had arrived at exactly those times. Every time he was close to admitting his feelings, something got in his way... maybe the world was trying to tell him something.

He was broken out of these thoughts by the sound of his phone ringing from where he'd flung it on his bed. Pacing over to it, he read the name before smiling slightly and accepting the call.

"Hey Quinn."

"Sam. I'd like to discuss something with you. It's this plan I've put together involving you and Kurt Hummel..."

**A/N: And so ends Arc 1... Any ideas of what Arc 2 will feature? I'd love to hear your theories!**

**Also did you like/love/hate this chapter? Let me know what you thought of it!**

**For once, I can't think of anything to say (... wow I really must be tired) so I'll just say this- thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate it and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	20. Quinn's Not So Genius Master Plan

**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm back! Sorry for the long wait I put you all through, thanks for being so patient and sticking with me (and this story)! I'm very grateful! Now before my usual thanks, I just feel the need to warn you: Arc 2 will include some major developments... but the road to those developments will be long and winding so... just remember that things always get worse before they get better (and in the end, they will always get better; I promise. I just don't have the heart to write a Hevans story without a happy ending!).**

**Now onto my thanks! You lot really are the best readers and reviewers (and favoriters and alerters... I know they're not real words) in the world. I couldn't ask for better support (I know I'm probably a bit biased, but it's still true!). I'm so grateful to you all and hope you will stick with me through Sam and Kurt journey as we travel through Arc 2 and into the final (and biggest) Arc of the story; Arc 3.**

**A special thanks goes to **_**Onyx Nailo**_**, **_**RoseBelikov'at'**_**, **_**sydg813**_**, **_**'mysterious reviewer'**_**, **_**sassy selena**_**, **_**CantBuyLoveRentIt**_** and **_**JustAStrangerPassingBy **_**(x2) for your lovely reviews! I sincerely hope you all enjoy this chapter since I made you all wait so long for it! And as always, a mega thanks goes to my wonderful beta **_**KennyIsOrange**_** for keeping me focussed while I wrote this and for generally being awesome!**

**And with no further ado, I present the long awaited next chapter. Enjoy!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**

"_Trust you? TRUST YOU? After all you've put me through with this, why the hell should I trust you?"_

"_Sam please..."_

"_No Quinn! Because of you I've probably lost him forever. I... I just..."_

"_I'm sorry..."_

"_You're sorry? That's all you can say? You're sorry?"_

"_I..." Tears began to well up in Quinn's eyes._

"_Well here's what I'm saying! I'm done with this stupid plan, I'm done with all these lies and I'm done with you!"_

"_Sam..." Quinn's breath caught in her throat. All she could see was Finn shouting the same deafening at her when she needed him most, except now…Sam was the one that needed her... no not her, he needed Kurt._

_She stared into space, tears falling freely down her face, barely hearing the sound of feet rushing down the hallway, away from her. Students from all around stared at her, scrutinising her with their gazes, judging her... but she ignored them. The only gaze that held any power over her was that of her best friend who offered her nothing except a look of disapproval before rushing after the other boy that she had hurt through her supposedly genius master plan... it had all seemed so simple. How had everything gone so wrong?_

_And how could she fix it?_

WELCOME_TO_ARC_2_BRACE_YOURSELVES_FOR_ONE_HELL_OF_A_BUMPY_RIDE_HEVANS_GLEE_

"Are you sure this'll work Quinn?" Said female rolled her eyes at the hint of concern that coloured the jock's voice. Why did no one have any faith in her plans? They were foolproof... well most of the time... well sometimes... well did it really matter how successful her other plans had been? This one would work, she was certain of it. At the end of the day that was all that was important... right?

"Positive. People use this method all the time and it really does work..."

"But... what if it doesn't? I don't want to lose Kurt..." She let out a sigh before replying.

"But wouldn't seeing him with another guy hurt more? Especially if you knew that you'd had the chance to be that guy but hadn't done anything about it..."

"I guess..." Sam reluctantly admitted as his mind conjured up the image of _his_ Kurt strolling along the halls with some smug looking jock or having coffee with some smooth singer from another Glee club... just the thought of it made him feel physically ill.

"So it's decided then."

"I guess..." Again Quinn rolled her eyes at Sam's repeated response before replying.

"So stop worrying okay? Everything will be fine, I promise. And if all goes to plan, you'll have a huge smile on your face and Kurt in your arms in no time."

"Okay. Thanks Quinn."

"No problem. See you tomorrow."

Sam just grinned and hung up the phone as he allowed himself, just for a moment, to imagine how things would change between him and Kurt once everything was out in the open... he would be with Kurt. He wouldn't have to worry about other guys stealing him away or losing his chance with Kurt by staying in the 'friend zone' for too long. Things would be simple, their hands intertwined as they walked down the corridors, smiles on their faces as they talked about anything and everything (he loved the sound of Kurt's voice, it had an almost musical quality to it)... he could finally kiss Kurt without the constant interruptions, without being scared of what other people thought because he'd still have his wonderful, beautiful and talented boyfriend to stand by him... as long as the plan worked.

He still had his reservations about it... but Quinn had promised it would work. He could trust her couldn't he? She was his friend after all as well as Kurt's. She only wanted the best for them; she wouldn't carry out this plan unless she was certain it would work... would she? No. He could trust her. He had to.

WELCOME_TO_ARC_2_BRACE_YOURSELVES_FOR_ONE_HELL_OF_A_BUMPY_RIDE_HEVANS_GLEE_

Mercedes drove towards McKinley, anxiously flicking through radio stations as she tried to calm her racing thoughts. _Quinn's plan will probably work so stop being so paranoid. It's more thought out than her previous ideas at least so have a bit more faith in her... and stop tapping out nervous rhythms on the steering wheel or Kurt's gonna realise something's up._

Her fingers stilled as she finally found a radio station that she was happy with, smiling slightly as Don't Stop Believing blared out of the car's speakers, bringing back happy memories from the beginning of Glee club; before the baby drama, before the Cheerios and jocks, before Puck and Sam... everything had been so simple in that moment. Just six unlikely allies singing their hearts out on stage, working as a team for the first time. The rush of pride she'd felt at that moment, pride in all of them instead of just in herself, that was the moment she really became a part of New Directions. She missed the simplicity of that golden moment, these days everything was so complicated.

As Mercedes thoughts continued to wonder down memory lane, her fashionable companion sat in the passenger seat, oblivious to his best friend's nervous behaviour, as he continued to try and analyse a certain blonde's. All signs seemed to point to the blonde being gay or at least bisexual which, if he was considering admitting this to Kurt, meant one of two things. Either A) He trusted Kurt enough as a friend to trust him with what the counter tenor guessed was his biggest secret or B) He was interested in Kurt in a romantic sense and was dropping hints by revealing his sexuality to him... the soprano just wished he could figure out which one of these it was. He was really beginning to get sick of this feeling of constant uncertainty about everything related to the blonde. _Sam Evans_ really was an enigma... and it was slowly driving Kurt insane trying to figure him out.

He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, snapping him out of his thoughts, and prompting him to slip it out, flipping open the screen eagerly. He felt a surge of disappointment when he saw that the caller wasn't Sam.

Ever since that night the blonde hadn't called or texted and while Kurt wasn't clingy (especially since he didn't really have a right given the two weren't actually dating... yet), he was starting to get a bit concerned and very frustrated. Before Breadstix, Kurt wouldn't make it through an hour without a text or a call from Sam, unless of course the two were together, which had been most of the time, working on their duet... no. Was that it? Was the reason Sam hadn't been calling because he no longer wanted, or needed, to spend any time with the soprano since the assignment was over... had spending time with Kurt been more of an obligation than something the blonde actually wanted? He'd been so sure that Sam was having as much fun as he was when they spent time together... had he made it all up in his head again?

The phone vibrated again, drawing Kurt's attention to the screen which once again showed the same name blaring out in bold letters. Rolling his eyes at her persistence, he pressed the accept call button and lifted the phone to his ear.

"Hi Rachel."

"Hey Kurt." The soloist responded in a voice far too cheerful for Kurt this early in the morning. "You okay now? I know you were feeling a bit down the other day when we talked. Has Sam called you yet or..." She let the question trail off awkwardly waiting for the soprano to respond.

"No. He hasn't said a word to me since that night. I'm starting to wonder if I've done something wrong... I just wish I knew what it was so I could fix it... I miss him." The last three words were barely whispered down the phone but Rachel heard them, the empty tone in his voice angering her as she considered how her friend was suffering due to the blonde's actions. She resolved to confront him and talk some sense into him. After all, it was obvious to anyone that he cared for Kurt... well obvious to anyone except Kurt that is.

"Okay Kurt, listen to me... You haven't done anything wrong. The only person who's doing something wrong right now is him." She heard his scoff, but ignored it in favour of continuing her reassurance. "I stand by what I told you before, he's obviously very confused right now. Maybe you're the first guy he's felt this way about or maybe this is the first time he's begun to face these kind of feelings... either way he's obviously trying to figure things out but... it's not right to cut you out of his life like that while he does that." She took a deep breath. "Tell you what we're gonna do. We're gonna walk into school with Mercedes, I'm gonna walk over to Finn but make sure I'm nearby in case you need me for backup, and you're gonna march over to Sam and talk to him... okay?" Kurt nodded before realising that she couldn't see the action and replying.

"Okay. Yeah I'll talk to him... what do I say?"

"Did you really just ask me that? Kurt, when have you ever had a problem with speaking your mind. Just tell him how you feel."

"But..."

"But nothing okay? Whether it's as friends or more than that, you and Sam need each other. It's obvious to anyone, and I'm not about to stand by and watch you both suffer because you're both too stubborn to realise that... okay?" The counter tenor smiled at Rachel's words.

"I really don't know how we spent so long as enemies Rachel. You're amazing." Said diva smiled warmly as she replied.

"We're just too similar Kurt. We're each other's equals which means we're also each other's biggest threat... and at the same time we can understand each other better than anyone else ever will."

"True. I'll see you at school Rach."

"See you there Kurtsie." She laughed slightly as she hung up to Kurt's annoyed complaint about the unwanted nickname. And despite the soprano's frustration that Quinn and Cedes nickname for him seemed to be catching on, he couldn't stay mad at his female counterpart for too long. Rachel was right after all, they were very similar.

WELCOME_TO_ARC_2_BRACE_YOURSELVES_FOR_ONE_HELL_OF_A_BUMPY_RIDE_HEVANS_GLEE_

_You can do this Sam. For once in your life you're gonna go through with something instead of chickening out the way you always do. Come on, be the brave person that Kurt always believed you were. You can do this Sam..._

"Hey Evans! You alright?" The blonde turned to see a concerned looking Puck standing beside him.

"Yeah I'm fine. Why'd you ask?" The mowhawked teen raised an eyebrow before responding.

"Oh no reason... except that I heard you muttering about Hummel and being brave so..."

"I was saying that out loud." He received a nod in reply. "Shit. Did anyone else hear?"

"Not by the looks of things. I think you're safe." The blonde offered a slight grin of thanks and relief. "Now I'm guessing you're about to take my advice and tell Kurt your real feelings?" He didn't pause long enough for Sam to answer, choosing to continue with what he had to say regardless. "Well just take a deep breath and calm down. The last thing you want to do is blurt your feelings out in a blunt and unromantic way. From what I gather, Hummel's the type that likes romance so be careful with how you word things. Make it special for him. Other than that, just be yourself." He patted the blonde on the shoulder. "You'll be fine. Okay?" Again he didn't wait for a response. "See you around Evans, let me know how it goes with Hummel."

And with that he was gone, strolling down the hallways and leaving Sam feeling like the biggest jerk ever to walk through the halls of McKinley... and that was saying a lot considering that douches like Azimo and Hunter were also students here... not to mention Karofsky. How had he not even considered Puck's feelings when he and Quinn had been putting this plan of hers into action the other day. The mowhawked boy had made his feelings for the ex-cheerio perfectly clear when the two had talked about her and Kurt... how had he forgotten just how much affection there had been in the teen's eyes when he's mentioned her... how could he even consider going through with this plan when it would cause one of his best friends so much pain. He couldn't do this... not after all that Puck had been through. He couldn't betray him like that.

WELCOME_TO_ARC_2_BRACE_YOURSELVES_FOR_ONE_HELL_OF_A_BUMPY_RIDE_HEVANS_GLEE_

"...Look Quinn, it's not just you, me and Kurt that will be affected by this..."

"How so?"

"What about Puck?" There was a moment of silence as Quinn processed her partner in crime's words.

"What about him Sam?"

"Come on Q it's obvious! Surely you realise that he has feelings for you?"

"So..." Sam let out a weary sigh.

"So he's gonna be seriously hurt when he sees you with..."

"Okay I see your point but what other choice do we have if we ever want to encourage Kurt to confess how he feels about you because god knows you're never gonna..."

"Okay fine! Just don't blame me when this blows up in our faces! If this plan fails, then that blame lies entirely with you..."

Another silence occurred as Quinn tried to keep her breathing steady. "Fine." But she wasn't fine. In fact she was seriously beginning to have doubts that this plan would work... could it be that Cedes and Sam were right? No, this plan would work! She was certain of it... she had to be.

WELCOME_TO_ARC_2_BRACE_YOURSELVES_FOR_ONE_HELL_OF_A_BUMPY_RIDE_HEVANS_GLEE_

Rachel and Kurt walked into McKinley together, arms linked causing some raised eyebrows among the students that were scattered across the hallways. Even those who weren't in Glee were aware of the pair's rivalry. The duo ignored the stares, focussing entirely on their plan. They hadn't even noticed that Mercedes had rushed off somewhere, possibly to speak to Quinn about something, as they strolled in the direction of Sam's locker where the blonde was removing the books he needed for today's lessons and humming along to something on his iPod.

"You can do this Kurt! Just walk over to him and talk. He's probably missing you just as much as you're missing him right now. You're both just stubborn." She squeezed her friend's shoulders in support before giving him a slight nudge forward. "Go on. I'll be right here with Finn if you need me... okay?" He nodded. _Okay Kurt, you can do this, you can do this..._

"Hi Sam." The blonde looked up in surprise, removing his headphones as a wide smile came to his features at the sight of Kurt standing next to him. He was about to respond when he felt his phone vibrate. Quickly checking it he saw one, very blunt, text that quickly chased away any comfort he'd felt at the sight of the soprano standing beside him.

_Sam,_

_Time to put this plan into action! Meet me by my locker,_

_Q x_

"Who's that?" Kurt tried to get a look at the screen but the blonde quickly put it away before turning back to face him.

"Um... no one? Sorry Kurt but I don't really have the time to chat right now. I have to... hand in a paper." The soprano's forehead crinkled in confusion.

"A paper? For which class?"

"...English. Yeah an English paper. I'll um... see you around then." And with that Sam rushed down the corridor, cheeks flushing in embarrassment as he considered how awful his ability to lie was... it was a miracle really that he'd managed to keep his feelings for Kurt a secret for this long!

Left behind, next to the blonde's locker, Kurt desperately tried to process the conversation, or lack of one, that he'd just had. When he'd walked up to him, Sam had smiled his brilliant smile as usual and it had looked like he was about to reply before his phone went off... then he'd changed completely. He'd looked so worried about whatever he'd been sent. Was he being bullied? No, the blonde jock could take care of himself, of that Kurt was certain. But then what was it that was upsetting the other teen so much? And why wasn't he sharing it with him? He'd thought they'd become close during the duets assignment. Sam had even said that Kurt was his best friend. Was that all a lie?

A lie like the one he'd just told about the 'English Paper' he had to hand in. Kurt could spot the lie a mile off. Firstly, the blonde seemed to have missed this fact, but they shared an English class and the soprano knew that they hadn't been set any homework because secondly, their teacher had been ill. They'd had a substitute; Ms Holly Holiday. A very quirky yet blunt teacher with an... interesting style of teaching. But her methods were unique and therefore refreshing and Kurt had thoroughly enjoyed her cover lesson.

He'd also noticed her and Mr Shue seemed to get on quite well when he'd spotted them talking after Glee Club rehearsal one night. Maybe he was finally moving on from Emma? Kurt hoped so, he was getting far too tired of his Spanish teacher's longing looks every time he spotted the doe-eyed guidance councillor. Holly seemed to be Emma's polar opposite and maybe that's what Will needed, someone who was different. _Maybe I should work with a few of the girls to try and speed their relationship along. After all, we all know that Mr Shue can be a bit clueless when it comes to romance... or to fashion... or to a healthy amount of hair gel use. Actually thinking about it, he's pretty clueless about most things..._

And with Kurt's thoughts straying toward his teacher's love life and away from a certain blonde jock, a smile started to form on his face, thoroughly confusing a watching Rachel Berry who had been about to step in and comfort the soprano. She eyed him warily as he walked away from the blonde's locker and towards his own, offering him a smile as she began to walk alongside him, and desperately trying to ignore the sudden, unexplained, feeling of dread in her gut as they walked around the corner. For once in her life, she hoped that her psychic ability was wrong and she was reading too much into things but she had a feeling that things were about to get very complicated.

WELCOME_TO_ARC_2_BRACE_YOURSELVES_FOR_ONE_HELL_OF_A_BUMPY_RIDE_HEVANS_GLEE_

_Gotta find Quinn and stop her. Where the hell is she anyway? No time to consider that just look everywhere. You can't let this happen. All she's going to do is hurt both of them. Got to stop her, got to make her see sense..._

Mercedes stopped for a moment, scanning the corridor as she searched for a certain ex-cheerio. Snatches of a group of giggling Cheerios to her left drifted to her ears as she continued to frantically scan the crowds.

"Did you see them..."

"...Holding hands..."

"...But I thought that..."

"...Well obviously you were wrong..."

Her pace quickened at the words as she desperately tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach that was telling her she might already be too late. She couldn't give up just in case she was wrong. _Please let me be wrong, please let her have changed her mind._

"...that bitch is so lucky, first Puck and now..."

"...I know it isn't fair..."

"...but they are quite cute together..."

"...still I thought he liked that gay kid..."

"...guess not..."

Her pace slowed as she rounded the corner, seeing what she hoped she never would. Sam and Quinn... she was too late. _I'm so sorry Kurt, I tried to stop her. I just wasn't fast enough._

WELCOME_TO_ARC_2_BRACE_YOURSELVES_FOR_ONE_HELL_OF_A_BUMPY_RIDE_HEVANS_GLEE_

_...So maybe if we invited her to visit Glee club she and Mr Shue could spend more time together and then he..._

Kurt's current train of thought stopped dead in its tracks as the sight in front of him hit him like a school bus. _Sam and Quinn? Sam and Quinn are holding hands the way he and I always have... Sam's smiling that beautiful smile at her... and she's grinning back just like she used to at... but no. Quinn wouldn't do that to me. She knows how much I like Sam and she always told me that the feeling was mutual... she wouldn't betray me like this..._

But his mental protests sounded false even to him as he remembered the way the ex-cheerio had manipulated Rachel, Finn and Puck the year before. Lying about the baby, essentially letting Finn and Puck battle for her affections, and using Rachel as a distraction for Finn while she looked at Puck's 'potential' before crushing her dreams by flinging herself back into Finn's arms... but she'd changed hadn't she?

His eyes followed Quinn as she leaned towards his ex-duet's partner, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek. The action, however innocent and loving, seemed like the most brutal form of torture, tearing a huge hole in his chest as all his hopes and dreams fell away to reveal the truth. Sam liked _Quinn_. Sam was _dating_ Quinn...

_She's my friend, she's meant to stand by me. She's meant to be the one who helps me win him over, not the one who steals him from me... She never even told me she liked him. She always seemed to like Puck... unless she's using him. Using him to make Puck jealous. But she wouldn't do that... surely she realises that those kind of plans never work? Trying to make someone else jealous by using someone only ends up causing pain... for everyone._

The counter tenor struggled to breathe properly, unable to look away as his eyes were drawn to the couple in morbid interest.

_I used to believe that I loved Finn... I was wrong. Losing Finn never hurt this much. It's like I've died inside but my heart refuses to stop beating, forcing me to live with the pain and knowledge that, once again, I've deluded myself into believing he or any other guy in this hellhole could love or even like me. I've been such an idiot, thinking I had a chance, thinking she was my friend... kidding myself that my story had a happy ending. It's like people have been telling me for years. Fags don't get a happy ending... not in Lima anyway._

His vision began to cloud slightly. He barely even noticed as he began to collapse, vaguely feeling the warm comforting hands and soft, gentle voices of Rachel and Mercedes as they dragged him back to his feet, murmuring reassurances to Kurt as they guided him to the same car he'd arrived in just a few minutes ago.

"Stay here and breathe okay? We're gonna make sure the school let you have the day off. Tell them you're sick..." The soprano moved slightly as if to complain causing Rachel to roll her eyes before continuing. "And don't even think about protesting. You're in no condition to work today. We're gonna get the day off, and we'll go over to mine and order pizza and ice cream and cry at some romantic movie or maybe sing some ballads. Your choice. Point is, you need to get away from here... and so do I or I won't be held responsible for my actions." For the first time since he'd seen them, Kurt smiled slightly causing both girls to feel a sense of relief.

"We'll be back soon okay?" _And then I'm gonna tell you everything. Starting with just how clueless a certain ex-cheerio is working right the way through to this stupid plan of hers. I can't believe she actually went through with this... I'm sorry Kurt, for not telling you sooner. I've let you down. But I'm gonna fix this. Even if it means kicking some blondie ass._

Kurt, oblivious to his friend's thoughts, merely nodded in reply to her question, waiting for the sounds of the pairs footsteps to vanish before his thoughts returned to that moment.

_Sam had come into his life twice, both times with a huge smile on his face, warm hugs, a sweet nature... someone Kurt could trust, rely on, admire... love. He knew with certainty that he loved the blonde now, more than he loved anything... and maybe ever would... And Sam was straight..._

_But if that was true why had he asked that question at Breadstix? Why had it seemed like he was going to kiss him before Brittany had interrupted? Why did all of the blonde's actions seem to contradict each other?_

_And why did every treasured moment with the blonde suddenly seem like a lie..._

Tears spilled over as the soprano finally let his barriers down and cried, resting his head on the steering wheel of the car as his emotions took over. _Sam and Quinn are dating... Sam and Quinn... Sam..._

**A/N: I repeat what I said at the start of this chapter- things will get better- so... please don't hate me! I hope you enjoyed the chapter (I'm currently about halfway through the next one- I originally intended to have a double update but I ran into some unexpected challenges so it's taken a bit longer to write this chapter than I originally anticipated. I'll post it as soon as I can though- at the latest this weekend).**

**Let me know what you thought of it! Also what do you think of Quinn now you've seen her 'master plan'? Understand now why Mercedes was so worried about it? She does mean well though. Her reasoning for this plan will be explained later on... along with a few other things.**

**Now, off the subject of this story... who else is so excited about Glee! It's crazy how much I've missed it and I'll be so incredibly thrilled to have it back! It's been gone long enough that I almost miss seeing Quinn and Finn... almost... well not really. As far as I'm concerned they never should have started dating again.**

**It just frustrates me how hypocritical (and unfair) Finn's being. He broke up with Rachel for cheating on him by kissing someone else... which is fair enough... until you consider that he's now forgiven and is dating Quinn who actually slept with someone else when she cheated on him... I think I know which one would bother me more! Plus, he's also being unfair to Quinn because if he's more bothered by Rachel kissing someone else than by Quinn sleeping with someone else then it's blatantly obvious that he loves Rachel more than Quinn, meaning that Quinn's more of a rebound than a serious relationship... at least that's my take on things. Sorry about the rant!**

**Either way, I can't wait for Glee! It's been way too long!**

**On that note, all I have to say is a huge thanks to everyone who has read this! The ever-growing response this story gets never fails to blow me away! Thank you all so much!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	21. Emotion, Texts, Similarity, More Emotion

**A/N: Hey everyone! I know I said I'd get this up as soon as possible, but as you can tell this chapter ended up a lot longer than I'd originally anticipated... and therefore took longer to write. Hopefully it was worth the wait! Thanks to anyone who has read/alerted/favorited/reviewed this story! I can't believe that I'm only three reviews away from 100 reviews on this story... it's just surreal! A special thanks goes to **_**JustAStrangerPassingBy**_**, **_**CantBuyLoveRentIt**_**, **_**MrRyanSmall**_**, **_**Onyx Nailo**_**, **_**Dear Near Scary**_**, **_**RoseBelikov'at'**_**, **_**CrimsynLies **_**and **_**sassy selena**_** for their kind words of support! You lot are my inspiration- I really mean it! And as always, many thanks to the lovely **_**KennyIsOrange**_** for continuing to be an awesome beta! With no further ado, I give you the next chapter! Enjoy!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**

It's kind of funny, Puck mused, how someone you had considered one of your best friends could immediately become your worst enemy given the right situation... given the right girl. _Quinn Fabray and Sam Evans;_ he'd heard it whispered in the corridors but he hadn't believed it... hadn't wanted to believe it. Sam was his friend. He knew how Puck felt about her... he was meant to like Kurt; he was meant to be gay! It couldn't be true... could it?

But one look at the pair strolling down the hallways had easily demolished the walls of denial that the mowhawked teen had built up around himself, the truth hitting him like an ice cold slushie.

Somehow though, despite the pain her decision was causing him, he couldn't hate or blame Quinn for making it. As he'd said to Sam, she deserved so much better than him, she deserved someone who treated her right, bought her flowers, sung sappy duets with her, offered to carry her bags to class... she deserved romance... and Sam could probably give her that.

But he still felt a resounding pain in his gut, the familiar sharp tug of betrayal. Because while he couldn't blame the ex-cheerio for her actions, he sure as hell could blame the blonde douche that held her hand as the two gazed lovingly into each other's eyes... _So frickin' charming._

He felt his anger double (if that was possible) when he spotted another student across the hallway bearing the same look of hurt, as he observed the new couple. _Kurt... I didn't even think about how this would affect him but... shit! I haven't seen him this bad since Karofsky. _The jock shook his head slightly, trying to dislodge any thoughts of the bully from his mind; he had enough to deal with without his thoughts wandering down that path.

He let out a sigh of relief as he saw Rachel and Mercedes grab the pale looking soprano and drag him out of the hallway. _Never thought I'd be grateful to Berry but I'm glad Kurt's got her and Aretha to look after him. Fuck knows he needs them right now... he's just lost two friends and gotten his heart broken by a backstabbing dick._

_I can't believe that douche. He actually said he liked Kurt, not Quinn...he seemed scared to tell him though. Is he actually using her because he doesn't have the guts to be honest about his feelings? That asshole! And of all the girls he could have chosen, of course he chose Quinn. The one who'd already been to hell and back last year thanks to me and those stupid wine coolers, the one who Sam knew I loved and he just... _Puck fists clenched, nails biting into his skin and he struggled to control his breathing.

_I thought he was my bro. I thought we were tight but... obviously I was wrong. He's betrayed me, he's betrayed Kurt, he's betraying Quinn... and he's betraying himself. I don't know which one I should feel worse about. Point is... This. Has. To. Stop. I won't stand by and watch her get hurt again... I may not be good enough for her, but I'm sure as hell a lot better than some cowardly little shit who betrays his friends and uses others to hide who he really is..._

The couple passed by his locker, the blonde jock actually having the nerve to smile at him. _You better watch it Evans, or I'll wipe that grin off your face... permanently._ The glare he offered in return seemed to upset the blonde as he stopped walking, looking like he wanted to say something, before he decided against it. _Like he actually gives a damn how I feel. Maybe I'd have believed it before but now I know better..._

The ex-cheerio turned to see why Sam had stopped, her eyes meeting Puck's own, and for a moment the world seemed to melt away. It was just Quinn and Puck, no crying counter tenors or jerkass jocks... just them, however corny it sounded. Then of course, said jerkass tugged on his girlfriend's hand, jerking her attention away from Puck and back to him. And before the mowhawked jock could say a word, they were gone, walking away down the crowded hallway, once again ignoring the other students who were still either staring at the pair, or spreading rumours, whispered gossip continuing to spread across the school like wildfire.

And Puck was left with a resolve... a resolve to try and win the beautiful, angelic, ex-cheerio from the arms of the closeted jock... because in that moment when their eyes had met, he'd seen many things... but none of them were happiness. And maybe it was the crappy lights in the hallways playing tricks on him, or just his own wishful thinking, but he'd also seen something there that he didn't see in her eyes when she looked at Sam. _Love?_ He hoped so.

Mind racing towards his new purpose, he began to make plans for the wooing of Quinn Fabray, momentarily forgetting his concern for Kurt and his anger for Sam and choosing to focus on a much more positive emotion... _Love._

HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_THINGS_WILL_GET_BETTER_HEAVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_KUM_

"...But I thought he was gay..." Santana rolled her eyes as she listened to the whispers of a group of freshmen cheerios. Did they honestly believe that the 'relationship' between Barbie and Ken was real? _Please. I've seen more chemistry and sexual tension between Finn and a packet of large fries after we spent that night... _The Latina cringed slightly, remembering how awkward that meal had been for both of them. Working with the jock on the duets assignment had been, in short, hell thanks to that _lovely_ experience.

_The point is, there's no way those two are actually interested in each other. No, trouty mouth over there obviously has the hots for porcelain. It's obvious... well it must be since even Berry's realised the attraction there. Quinn must have known that too... huh. Thought she put away the bitch when she put away the cheerios uniform... guess I was wrong. After all, there's no way she's attracted to Sam either. There has to be some kind of motive. A reason that she's set this up. I know her, there's got to be something or she'd just have forced the jock into telling Kurt how he felt..._

_As for Sam's motives, well that's a bit more obvious, after all... I can relate. He's scared. Scared of what people might think if he dated Hummel, scared of what they might do... to both of them. I can see it in his eyes. Sure he pretends to the world that he's content with life but I can still see it... the fear. It's the same old act, pretend that you're happy, that nothing hurts, that you don't have a huge terrifying secret that you're afraid to admit to anyone, that you don't know that you're different and that people won't judge you for it..._

_But you live in Lima Ohio you're judged for everything you do and you're absolutely frickin' terrified because you know that you're different, and you know that you care too much about someone you've been told you shouldn't... and when you're with them it all just seems to melt away... but they're still out there with their judging eyes and their vicious words... and you know that. So the fear remains. _

_And it takes over. Makes you do stupid things, lie, hide, run... anything just to get away from the truth, away from being brave and facing your fears. And yes it's stupid but you can't help yourself... your mind stops being rational and you're left to rely on instinct... the instinct to survive..._

HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_THINGS_WILL_GET_BETTER_HEAVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_KUM_

"_It's nice just to talk sometimes... isn't it San." Said girl smiled as she gazed fondly at the girl sat beside her, their pinkies entwined, as the two sat perched on the edge of the Latina's bed._

"_Yeah it is." The two sat in companionable silence, the blonde moving to place a soft kiss to the Latina's lips before she broke the silence._

"_It's nice, it's like we're Brittana." Santana's brow crinkled in confusion._

"_Brittana?"_

"_You know like Santana and Brittany? Mike came up with while we were working on our duet. He said since we're together tha..."_

"_Woah, woah. Hold up. Have you been telling people we're an item?" The blonde cocked her head in confusion._

"_San?"_

"_Because you know what I've told you about saying that..."_

"_Saying what? I haven't said anything." The Latina let out a quiet sigh of relief. "But... would it be so bad if I had? I want to really be with you San I..."_

"_Don't say it."_

"_But I..."_

"_No Brit! I told you how this would go down when we started this thing. This is just friends with benefits. Nothing else okay? This means nothing! And we are not and never will be a couple." The blonde was on the verge of tears as she spoke, Santana desperately tried not to notice as she turned her head away from her friend._

"_But why?"_

_Because I'm scared. "Because I don't love you."_

_She tried to pretend that her heart didn't break as she watched Brittany rush out of the room, leaving her alone on the bed, trying to take deep calming breaths... It didn't work._

HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_THINGS_WILL_GET_BETTER_HEAVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_KUM_

_She hasn't spoken to me since... I can't blame her. I wouldn't speak to me either. I was scared, so I lashed out at her. I hurt her... I made her cry and I have to live with that. And it frickin' hurts every time I think about it... I hate being so scared! I hate it! ...But I am. I'm still terrified. Terrified of coming out... even more terrified of losing her because I can't._

_But I always thought Sam would fight that fear. I thought he was brave... well braver than me in any case. After all, he led that attack on Karofsky, not caring what anyone thought of him. He openly defended Kurt in a way I could never bring myself to if Brit was being harassed... not that I would let anyone get away with that, I would just handle things in a secretive and more subtle way._

_Before this Sam would always hold Kurt's hand in the hallways, way too clingy to be considered merely friendly... people had noticed, but they hadn't cared all that much. He was practically out of the closet so why hide now? There must be something else to this; probably something to do with Quinn, I just know there's far more to this than meets the eye._

_I just hope he comes to his senses before it's too late. Because fear is nothing if you compare it to the pain of not having the person who makes that fear worth it. Fear made me lose Brit... the most stupid thing I've ever done. I'll be damned if I will let anyone else make that same stupid mistake. Come on Evans, don't you realise he loves you! Do something about it before someone else realises how amazing he is and you lose your chance._

_I know you want to protect him, just like I want to protect Brit, but you can't save him from everything. One day, he's gonna have to fight his own battles... the choice you have to make is whether or not you'll be there to fight them alongside him... I hope you make the right one._

HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_THINGS_WILL_GET_BETTER_HEAVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_KUM_

Kurt sat, wedged between Rachel and Mercedes, as they snuggled up on the shorter female diva's couch, the table in front of them covered with scattered tissues, pizza boxes and a couple of empty ice cream containers, as they continued to watch the movie playing on the screen in front of them.

But the counter tenor wasn't really paying much attention to the film, choosing instead to stare blankly at the floor, as his two friends, also not caring much for the movie flickering across the screen, exchanged worried looks. Ever since they'd found him breaking down in Mercedes car, the boy had been unnaturally silent... and pale. It was almost as if the life had been sucked out of him and all that was left was this shell of their friend. It was more than a little concerning.

Rachel had been texting Tina since they'd left school, desperately trying to persuade her not to mount an attack on the new couple, with incredible difficulty... caused by both the girl's stubborn nature, and Rachel own desire for revenge. She let out a soft sigh as she felt her phone vibrate for the seemingly the 100th time that hour.

_Do you think Quinn actually likes Sam though? Because I saw her look at Puck earlier and... Let's just say there was more attraction in those few seconds of eye contact than there's been between Blondie 1 and 2 all day. I swear if she's using him as well as hurting Kurt, I won't be responsible for my actions. T x_

She took a deep breath, trying to repress the growing feeling of anger at the thought of Quinn using Sam, the same way she had used Puck and Finn when she'd found out about the baby. She could still remember the way the blonde had chosen to subtly manipulate the two to compete against each other in some twisted battle for her affections... was this what she was doing now, only with Sam instead of Finn as a competitor?

_If she's using him... I'll help you. But she might not be. Maybe she's just given up on Puck. R x_

_But that still doesn't give her the right to do this to Kurt! She knew how much Kurt liked him and she still did this! How could she? T x_

The brunette's eyes glanced up from the message, across the couch to where Mercedes was trying to console Kurt. His eyes met hers for a second and the emptiness she saw there... she looked away, quickly texting a reply.

_I don't know T. I really don't get it. But we've got to remember that Sam's partly to blame for this too. R x_

_How is he though? He didn't know how Kurt felt, so it's not as if he knows he's breaking his heart. You should have seen him in English when he realised Kurt wasn't there. He was a mess. T x_

_A mess? How so? And what was Quinn's reaction to this? R x_

_He was really worried. Came over to ask me what happened. Naturally I glared at him and told him it should be obvious. He looked a bit confused by that. Is he seriously that clueless? And Q looked mildly annoyed by him, but not too bothered which brings me back to the theory that she's using him. T x_

_Clueless._ Was it possible that he was clueless enough to believe that Kurt wasn't interested? Would that have driven him to giving up and pursuing someone else? Could he really be _that_ blind? _Maybe_... Rachel resolved to watch the blonde's actions more closely in future. Maybe if she could figure out how he felt, she could help him. Maybe she could fix this mess. For now she just typed a quick reply, mind already whirring with ideas.

_Maybe he is that clueless. He obviously cares for Kurt if he was worried about him. R x_

_Yeah. Well I'm madder at Quinn than Sam right now anyway. Still, if I find out he did know how Kurt felt; you can bet I'll kick his ass all over Ohio. No one knowingly hurts one of my friends and gets away with it... Gotta go, Mike's waiting for me so we can go to Science together. TTYL Rach, T x_

_Bye Tina, R x_

Rachel placed her phone back on the table, eyes returning to the TV screen only to realise the movie had long since ended and that Mercedes and Kurt were no longer in the room. Forehead crinkling slightly in confusion, she stood up and went to search for her missing friends, therefore not noticing the new message that flickered onto her screen. It read:

_Hey Rach,_

_Have you seen Kurt? I haven't since this morning and no one will tell me what's happened. Have I done something wrong? Please, just... if you've seen him, just tell me. I don't even need to know where. Just tell me he's okay._

_Sam x_

HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_THINGS_WILL_GET_BETTER_HEAVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_KUM_

"...Kurt I know it sounds crazy but it's true. Quinn thought that this plan would encourage you to act on your feelings for Sam. I swear she means well, she didn't mean to hurt you..." Kurt let out a slightly bitter laugh, cutting Mercedes off.

"Oh yes, I'm sure hurting me was the last thing on her mind, but she still did. No she didn't consider my feelings when she did this Cedes, she only considered her own. I guess in that sense she really didn't mean to hurt me? But that doesn't really matter does it?" He let out a sigh. "Look, I'd love to believe that this is all some big plan to get me and..." He furiously wiped away a couple of tears that threatened to spill at the thought of a certain blonde haired jock before continuing "..._him_ together, I would... but it's not, no matter what she's told you. If she'd wanted that, she would have just talked to me or something instead of coming up with some seriously twisted plan to..."

"But Kurt, you don't understand. Her plans are always like this. It's not that she's betrayed you, more that she's incapable of creating a successful 'master plan'. Didn't I tell you about that blind date she set me up on?"

"But Cedes this is different. Loads of people have bad blind dating experiences but not many have one of their closest friends go after the guy they like..." Mercedes raised an eyebrow at this comment. "Okay fine, lots of people experience this too. So what? I doubt the fallout of that date made you hurt this much." A few more tears spilled over, prompting his best friend to pull him into a warm hug, murmuring words of reassurance. After a few minutes, the soprano pulled away to meet Mercedes gaze. It scared her to see how resigned it looked... like he'd already lost hope.

"Look I appreciate this, really I do, but let's face the facts here. Quinn wouldn't be dating Sam right now unless she was either attracted to him or could use him for something. Either way, it'll have nothing to do with my feelings, despite whatever lies she's fed you." He squeezed his friends hand gently, offering her a sad smile before continuing. "I'll get over this Cedes. It may take some time to heal, but I have you, Rach and Tina to help me and it's not as if I haven't been let down before so... don't worry. Just please don't try to give me false hope, it hurts too much."

Their eyes met and Mercedes realised that no matter what she said to the soprano, he wouldn't change his beliefs about this situation. Nothing she could say would make him see the truth now... but maybe he'd listen if it was Sam doing the talking? _But that would mean talking to Quinn and right now I really don't want to be anywhere near her. Still, if it's for Sam and Kurt..._

Her train of thought was cut off by the sound of Rachel walking down the stairs, home phone in hand, as she spoke patiently to the person on the other side of the line, rolling her eyes at some of the caller's comments, before lifting the phone away from her ear and turning to the pair.

"Um Cedes? I know this isn't the best time but, Brit wants to come over. Apparently something happened with her and Santana and she doesn't really want to be alone. Also, Tina called and asked to be picked up and brought over. I would get them myself but... I don't know where their houses are so could you?" She nodded causing Rachel to flash her a brief smile of gratitude. "Okay just give me a sec... yes Brit, she said she'd pick you up... Yes Brit, bringing you diary will stop your cat from reading it... Bye Brit."

She hung up, taking a seat where Mercedes had been sitting moments ago as said girl headed out of the room towards where her car was parked to head out and pick up the others. She turned to look at her friend, frowning slightly when she noticed the tear tracks that were still visible across his cheeks. The pair sat in silence for a few more minutes, both sat still staring into space, until Rachel, slightly uncomfortable, reached out to squeeze Kurt's hand, bringing him back from whatever thoughts he'd been having.

"You okay?" Kurt scoffed slightly. "Okay stupid question, I know." She looked down at their clasped hands before she continued. "Right now you probably feel like your heart's been ripped out and stomped on, you feel like the world's spinning and you can't make sense of anything anymore, all of your memories with Sam seem like fiction, a part of you hates him but a even bigger part of you loves him in spite of that... and no matter how hard you try, you can't get him out of your mind, he's your every thought and you hate that... but if he asked you tomorrow to be with him, you'd still say yes." Her eyes lifted to meet Kurt's, noticing a shocked look held within the expressive orbs.

"How could you possibly..." She offered him a warm smile.

"You've forgotten that I've been where you are right now. Not that long ago, it was me with the broken heart, hopelessly in love with a jock that seemed to reciprocate my feelings... but he was dating Quinn. I remember the tears, the heartache and the many moments when I considered giving up on him... but I'm really glad I didn't because Finn's the best thing that's ever happened to me." She smiled slightly as her mind briefly wondered to her boyfriend; she wondered what he made of the situation between Quinn, Sam and Kurt. She made a mental note to ask him later before returning her attention back to Kurt.

"And yes he has his faults, no one's perfect after all, but he loves me. I couldn't ask for anything more than that... we were friends first you know? Yes I was pursuing him at the time, but we were friends at the beginning of our relationship. Best friends. But as we grew closer, singing duets and spending time getting to know one another... things changed. And while he was originally with Quinn, he left her. In the end, he loved me..."

"Not that I don't love hearing stories about how in love you and Finn are but is there a point to this story?" Rachel rolled her eyes at the brunette's words before replying.

"Of course there's a point to this! Don't you see the similarities? In love with a jock? Dating Quinn?"

"Okay that's only two similarities which hardly..."

"Heartache? Best friends? Singing duets? Spending a lot of time together?"

"Okay so maybe there are some similarities. So what?" She let out a sigh.

"Kurt we've already discussed how similar we are, what I haven't talked to you about is the similarities between Sam and Finn."

"Really Rachel I don't think..."

"Okay firstly, they're both jocks. Not only that, but they're both great players. Also I hear that Coach Beiste was torn over who to choose for the quarterback position this year... guess who the two candidates were? Secondly there's his love of performing. It's a passion they both share but hadn't really explored before joining Glee club and they're both naturals... well in singing at least. Their dancing could admittedly use a little work." She internally grinned as she saw the hints of a smile creep onto Kurt's face at her last comment. "Then there's Quinn. They both dated her but in both cases they seemed to care more about someone else than their girlfriend. Tell me Kurt, before Sam and Quinn started dating, how much time did they spend together?" She heard a faint murmur of response. "Sorry what was that?"

"Not much. None at all really."

"And how often were the two of you together?"

"Most of the time... but it was to work on the duets assignment." Rachel raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"And did you spend all of your time together working on that duet." Kurt shook his head slightly. "So not all of it was to do with Duets then. He even let you take him shopping didn't he?"

"Twice." The smile on Kurt's face was slightly wider now.

"See what I mean, similarities. Finn and I used to meet up to work on Glee numbers together but we'd end up just talking about things, hanging out, even bowling. That was how we grew closer. Just by talking. Before now, when did Sam ever talk to Quinn? Really talk to her, the way you have."

"He didn't." Rachel nodded.

"Exactly, because they didn't talk. They don't love each other Kurt, it's obvious. Their relationship won't last... Now the final comparison I'm going to make, their best friends. They both had a best friend who secretly, or maybe not so secretly in my case, loved them with all their hearts and they still do... Finn fell in love with that best friend; I know how my story ended. Given the evidence, don't you think Sam might too? Who knows? Maybe he already has."

For once, Kurt was quiet. Deep in thought as he considered his friend's words. Could she be right about Sam? He had to admit, thinking about it, while not as similar as he and Rachel were; the two jocks did possess quite a few similarities... certainly more than he'd noticed.

"But if he had fallen for me, would he have said something instead of starting to date Quinn?" Rachel seemed to consider this for a few more moments before replying.

"Maybe those two have one more similarity... they're absolutely clueless when it comes to love." Kurt let out a small laugh at that, causing Rachel to let out her own little giggle before grinning at the soprano. "Just don't lose faith yet Kurt. You're so much better for Sam than she is, he'll realise that." She squeezed his hand once more. "I still vehemently believe that you and Sam are meant to be together, just like Finn and I. Just give him time and he'll see that."

"Thanks Rachel. I appreciate your words, however hard I find it to believe them. Still, they did help... I'll try not to lose faith just yet." They shared a look, smiling at each other, before Rachel replied.

"That's all I ask." And with that she pulled him up from where he was sat, guiding him back to the big screen that the trio had been sat in front of before. She flipped open one of the pizza boxes, grimacing slightly as she realised how cold it was. "I'm gonna go and order some more pizza before Cedes, Tina and Brit get back. How about you choose something from my film selection over there." She gestured to the huge stack of boxes filled with different films. "I have them sorted by genre and then alphabetically so it should be easy to find something you're happy with. I'll be back in a minute. Okay?" Satisfied with the nod she got in reply, Rachel left to order, leaving Kurt to search through the first of the boxes which was labelled 'Musicals'.

His eyes caught on one film in particular. _The Sound of Music_. He half-remembered the days when he'd sat and watched this film with his mother, listening to her soft calming voice and she sang along to every song, the familiar comforting tone somehow making the film all the more beautiful. It had been the first musical he'd ever loved because he'd been able to share it with _her_. Even now, years after her death, it still held a place in his heart. He didn't even bother to look through the other boxes, satisfied with the choice he'd made.

When Rachel returned a few minutes later, telling him that the pizza would arrive in about fifteen minutes, she smiled as she studied his choice.

"I knew your name reminded me of something. Kurt as in Kurt von Trap?" He nodded.

"Yeah. Mum used to love this film. It was her favourite. We used to watch it together to the point where it became something that reminded me of her, comforting, familiar... I know it's sounds silly but sometimes when I'm feeling upset about something, I like to watch this because then it's almost as if she's there with me..."

"It's not stupid. I have this one tape of my birth mother singing this song to me and while I now know she wants nothing to do with me as a daughter, sometimes I like to listen to it and just... pretend. Pretend that she wanted me in her life, pretend that she cared..." She blinked back a couple of tears that threatened to surface at the thought of Shelby before smiling at Kurt. "It's a great film. You and your mum both have great taste. Want to start it now or wait for the others?"

In the end they agreed to wait until the others arrived before starting the film. While they waited they sat and talked, for once not about Sam or Finn, or Glee but just about themselves, their lives, their dreams... it really was amazing just how similar they really were.

HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_THINGS_WILL_GET_BETTER_HEAVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_KUM_

Mercedes drove back to Rachel's house with Britney and Tina chatting animatedly in the backseat about convincing Mr Shue to include an upbeat number at Sectionals in order to showcase the clubs dancing ability as well as vocals... well Tina was chatting animatedly, the blonde beside her seemed confused judging by her expression. This theory was proved a few minutes later when said blonde asked her friend why they were going to attack someone at Sectionals, causing Tina to stare at Brit in confusion, her mind desperately trying to figure out what she had said to inspire the blonde's comment.

By the time they'd arrived, Tina was trying to explain to Brit that she wasn't really a vampire and she didn't mean she wanted the blonde's blood when she'd claimed she was thirsty a few minutes ago. Mercedes just closed her eyes as she listened to the two, trying to let their conversation block out the events of today... for a few blissful moments it worked.

Opening her eyes once more, she noticed a faint light shinning from underneath her seat. Reaching down to find the source, she pulled out Kurt's iPhone. _Things must be bad if he forgot this..._ She took a deep breath to calm herself, choosing instead to focus on the positives._ At least it's not broken or scratched, Kurt would have been beside himself if that had happened... especially if it happened today._ Holding the device, she felt it vibrate saying it had received a new message. Overcome by curiosity, she unlocked the screen, eyebrows rising when she saw just how many messages he'd received from Sam over the time since he'd last checked. She opened the first one reading.

_Hey Kurt, sorry I had to rush off earlier. How about we talk after first lesson? I'll meet you by your locker._

_Sam x_

_Hey Kurt, I'm at your locker and you're not here. Did I upset you when I rushed off? I'm sorry, please just come and meet me and we'll talk and I'll apologise. Sound good?_

_Sam x_

_Okay I've definitely upset you... and I've just realised you're in my English class so I know why. Please just text me back and I'll beg for your forgiveness- I'm not kidding._

_Sam x_

_I know you're mad Kurt, just let me explain why. I really am sorry if I've upset you._

_Sam x_

_Classes were boring without you- I'm a little bit worried that you didn't show up. Are you okay Kurt? Were you ill this morning? I didn't really notice but if you are I hope you feel better soon. Maybe, if you want, I can come over later with some of, my mum's soup. I've been told it has weird healing powers... please reply._

_Sam x_

_Lunch is majorly boring without you here. And for some reason everyone in Glee keeps glaring at me... I miss you. Please reply._

_Sam x_

_Just went into English, you're still not here. I'm starting to freak out a little now. What happened Kurt? I tried talking to Tina and she told me 'I should know'. Has Karofsky somehow gotten to you? If he has just tell me and I'll track him down. Please reply._

_Sam x_

_Okay I think I might have figured it out. Please Kurt I'm sorry but can we talk about this? This isn't a conversation I want to have by text. Just please reply and we'll arrange when to meet up and discuss this. Please just text me something._

_Sam x_

_Just texted Rachel but I've gotten no reply. God Kurt I'm really worried now. Please just reply. Just tell me you're okay and safe. I promise I won't bother you anymore just please be okay._

_Sam x_

_Okay, I'm officially begging now. Please just send me a message- it could even be a fuck off and right now I wouldn't care. I just need to know you're okay. Please just be okay._

_Sam x_

She didn't bother to read the rest, simply relocking the iPhone and putting it on the seat beside her. _Kurt has enough to deal with right now, he doesn't need comforting a slightly hysteric blonde to be added to that list._ Instead she opened her own phone up, typing a quick text before she switched off her phone, slipping it back inside her pocket. Brit and Tina had already headed inside while she'd been reading the texts, so she undid her seatbelt and left the car, joining the others who were waiting with fresh pizza and The Sound of Music.

HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_THINGS_WILL_GET_BETTER_HEAVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_KUM_

"Hey Cedes, we saved you some pizza." Said girl smiled her thanks as Rachel handed her the box. The group settled down to watch as Maria began to sing her opening song, Kurt and Rachel mouthing along to the lyrics, causing Mercedes to roll her eyes at the pair, smiling fondly before reaching to take a slice of the food in front of her. She turned to look at the other two girls, noticing that while Tina was fully engrossed in the film, Brit had become unusually quiet.

_Rachel said she'd had a fight with Santana... I don't think I've ever seen them fight before. She looks pretty torn up over it. This is probably the first time I've seen her face show something other than confusion or a smile... it's a little heartbreaking. What the hell has Santana done?_ Noticing that the girl looked ready to cry, Mercedes moved over to where the blonde was sat, pulling her into a hug which the blonde gratefully returned.

As the film progressed, very little was said, the only noises being muffled sobs and the film as it continued to play. Yet there seemed to be an unspoken feeling that lingered in the groups minds... a feeling of emptiness. Like something vital was missing... or someone.

A friend with golden hair, an angel in appearance, eyes bright, smile wide and comforting. Always full of joy and laughter, a feeling that she would share with those around her, telling jokes, diffusing tense situations, putting a smile on her friend's faces. She'd been through much but instead of her experiences leaving scars on her heart, they seemed to unchain it leaving her free to be the person she'd never been but had always wanted to be. She was special.

In another situation like this, she'd be the first one to comfort, cheering up the person who was crying with her kind words and her sense of humour, making them smile again. Ironic really that a person who could cause so much joy could also cause hurt. Ironic that the person that could help, was the one who had caused the problem. Yes, the group tried to ignore it, but her absence was everywhere. Quinn's absence was everywhere... like a dark cloud hanging over clear skies.

HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_THINGS_WILL_GET_BETTER_HEAVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_KUM_

In another part of Lima, a certain blonde was pacing across his room, eyes filled with worry, hand shaking slightly as his eyes continued to flicker to his phone which lay on his bed. Every time he looked it was the same, no messages, no calls... no Kurt.

_Please let him be okay, please let him be okay. Why hasn't be replied to any of the texts I've sent? Is he really that angry or has something happened to him? What if I was right when I guessed about Karofsky getting to him? After all, I'm sure that douche Hunter would be more than happy to help as long as he didn't know about what happened in the locker room... Please Kurt just text. Just say something... just be okay._

A slight buzz from his phone, and Sam darted across the room to check the screen. His heart sank slightly when he saw that the message wasn't from Kurt, but he opened the text all the same and read;

_Sam,_

_Kurt's fine! He hasn't sent you a message because he hasn't been using his phone. He's not ill and he hasn't had a run in with Karofsky so calm down... And please stop sending messages._

_Cedes_

He let out a sigh of relief, smiling slightly at the thought of Kurt being safe. _Thank God_. His eyes turned back to the screen to study the message, forehead crinkling in confusion when he considered the soprano not using his phone... It was unheard of. Before the blonde could consider the possible reasons for this sudden change in Kurt's behaviour, he felt his phone vibrate again signalling an incoming call from Quinn. He clicked the accept call button, listening to the ex-cheerio's greeting before he spoke.

"Hey. Have you spoken to any of the girls today? It's just I think Kurt left school early and I've found out it wasn't because he was ill so... do you think we've hurt him with this fake relationship idea of yours?" Concern coloured his voice but there was still a hint of anger in his final words, angering Quinn slightly as she replied.

"Hey don't go blaming me for this idea, you agreed to it okay? And no I haven't spoken to the girls... they've made it pretty clear that they're not talking to me right now..." Her final words trailed off as she frowned slightly.

"Exactly! I knew we shouldn't have done this. I knew this would backfire... we've hurt him."

"Listen to me. Firstly, whether or not we should have done this is irrelevant now... we've done it. We've put this plan into action; we can't do anything now except follow it through. Secondly, if you knew it would backfire, it's your fault for being a part of this plan anyway. And thirdly, we might have hurt him, but I guarantee he'll be jealous right now... so in a sense things are going to plan..." She was cut off by an infuriated Sam.

"How could you even say that? As if I'd _plan_ to cause him any pain! He's been through enough already; I'd never deliberately cause him any more suffering!" Quinn let out a frustrated sigh.

"Okay that's not what I meant! I just meant that at least he's jealous, so there's still a chance that things will work out. Okay? So don't lose faith."

"I hope you're right..." There was a moment of silence, the only audible sound being the calming breaths that Sam was taking before he continued to speak. "...because if I lose Kurt because of this stupid plan, I'll never forgive you." And with that the jock hung up, leaving a slightly shell shocked Quinn still clutching her phone, trying to ignore the dark tone Sam's final words had taken.

Sitting on the edge of his bed, the blonde jock let out a sigh before whispering "If I lose Kurt because of this stupid plan, I'll never forgive myself."

**A/N: So what did you think? Let me know! I really didn't anticipate this chapter being so long, it just grew more and more as I wrote... hope you liked it!**

**What did you all think of Night Of Neglect? I thought it wasn't the best episode ever- not that I'm saying it was bad, it just didn't particularly stand out as impressive. I did enjoy watching Santana stand up to Karofsky and Holly's 'Turning Tables' was impressive, as was Mercedes 'Ain't No Way', but overall I expected more from the episode.**

**But the promo afterwards... mind blown! 90 minutes of Glee! Gaga songs! Some other 'interesting' song choices- put a smile on my face though! Lauren going for prom queen! And most importantly of all... KURT HUMMEL IS BACK AT MCKINLEY! Can't wait for the next episode of Glee!**

**All that's left to be said now is a huge thank you to everyone who reads this story! Your support means the world to me! I can really never thank you all enough!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	22. I Miss Him Why the Hell Do I Miss Him

**A/N: Hey everyone! Here's the next chapter! Hope you all enjoy it (another long one- second longest so far after the one I wrote last chapter... I'm on a roll!). A huge thanks to everyone reading/alerting/favoriting/reviewing this story- you lot really are amazing! A special thanks goes to **_**Onyx Nailo**_**, **_**JustAStrangerPassingBy**_**,**_** CrimsynLies**_**, **_**DearNearScary**_**, **_**sydg813**_** (x2), **_**RoseBelikov'at'**_** (Also x2), **_**MrRyanSmall**_**, **_**Indeedle**_** and **_**sassy selena**_** for your lovely reviews! I really appreciate your wonderful words of support- you have no idea how inspiring they are! And, as always, a huge thanks to my lovely beta **_**KennyIsOrange**_** for her continued guidance and support as I write this story!**

**One more thing I have to say before I end this author's note- 108 reviews! I can't actually believe it... thank you all so much! I literally cannot express my gratitude with words... thank you!**

**With no further ado, I present the next chapter! Enjoy!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**

Kurt paused for a moment outside the entrance of McKinley, hesitating slightly as he tried to convince himself to walk through the doors in front of him.

_I can do this, I can do this. I'll just walk in and pretend that everything's fine, like I don't care about Quinn and Sam, like I don't still feel torn up inside every time I see them together... okay maybe this isn't such a good idea after all... No! I can do this! Just be brave and face them instead of hiding like some coward. Hiding from a problem doesn't make it go away. Sam fought my battle for me last time I felt like this, time for me to start fighting my own..._

He took a deep breath. Beside him Mercedes squeezed his hand gently in support, bringing him out of his thoughts. He smiled at her slightly, as they walked into the building in front of them.

_...For once in my life, I'll be the brave person he always believed I was._

KURT_SAM_GLEE_HUMMEL_EVANS_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HUMMEL_EVANS_HEAVANS

"Hey Kurt!" Sam moved across the hallway to where he'd spotted the soprano, weaving through groups of students scattered across the hallways, and smiling when Kurt turned to face him.

"Hey." The blonde's brow crinkled in confusion at the brief monotone response he got from the brunette and the way said brunette seemed to avoid meeting his eyes.

"Um...Are you okay? It's just you weren't in classes yesterday and you weren't answering your phone and I..." He paused, noticing he was rambling. "...I was worried."

"I'm fine." Kurt tried to ignore the annoying flutter in the pit of his stomach at the thought of the blonde worrying about him, tried to forget the way he'd had a similar feeling this morning when he'd looked through the texts he'd received since he'd last checked his phone... it wasn't working.

"Okay..." There was an awkward silence as Sam tried to figure out what he should say and Kurt tried not to think about the last time he' d seen the blonde. _Dammit Sam just say something! Why is it that whenever you don't really need to speak you've got loads to say but the moment it's important you're speechless? Just apologise for lying about the damn English paper and then maybe hint at how things aren't working out with Quinn... Just say something and stop staring at him like some weird stalker..._

"Kurt I..."

"Kurt! Come on! You said you'd help me persuade Mike to take me somewhere non-Asian for our next date!" The soprano seemed to hesitate, eyes flickering to the blonde's for a moment, before Tina began to literally drag Kurt away from Sam, glaring daggers at the blonde as they left. _If looks could kill..._

Sam watched the two walk away, heart falling like a heavy weight in his chest as he realised that yes, he had messed things up with Kurt, possibly forever. _I can't believe I've screwed things up... I just... I..._ The blonde furiously wiped away a few stray tears that threatened to fall, quickly glancing around to ensure that no one had witnessed his moment of weakness... it seemed that no one had. _Thank God._ He let out a soft sigh of relief, but it was short lived as his mind returned to a certain soprano, to the pain he had seen reflected in those beautiful glasz eyes... _All my fault._

KURT_SAM_GLEE_HUMMEL_EVANS_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HUMMEL_EVANS_HEAVANS

_He looks so devastated, _Rachel mused as she silently observed the blonde stood across the hallway from her. _If Kurt not really talking to him means that much to Sam then it's obvious that he cares about him a lot... and I'm still convinced that it's not just as a friend... but if that were the case then why would he date Quinn? Why does he have to be so confusing? _She resisted the urge to storm off to the auditorium to sing out her frustrations in favour of continuing to observe the blonde.

_It's weird; I don't think I've ever seen him this vulnerable. Before, he was always either putting on a front to look cool in front of the jocks or just smiling... actually he was probably putting on a front even then, he only seemed to let his barriers down around Kurt... _She spotted Sam quickly wipe away a few stray tears before turning to scope out the area, checking that no one was watching she guessed. She quickly turned her attention to the locker behind her, sighing in relief when she felt his gaze leave her back.

_Kurt knew Sam better than anyone, they practically lived with each other for a while when they were working on their duets assignment... For some reason, something's changed and Sam's trying to resurrect his defences, closing himself off from Kurt... but he's done the opposite because he's lost the only person who really knew him... and now his shields are weaker than ever... and they're caving in..._

She was snapped out of her thoughts when she noticed two figure approaching the blonde, the first also scanning the hallway, before hurriedly walking away from the pair. _Mercedes? Why was she talking to Quinn of all people? She's meant to be Kurt's best friend! How could she betray him like this?_ Rachel took a deep calming breath. She'd question her friend later; instead she chose to observe how the two blondes interacted.

_Sam still looks heartbroken... he's not even acknowledging Quinn... who's meant to be his girlfriend... There's definitely more to this than meets the eye, and I have a feeling Mercedes knows more than she's letting on... _Her eyes briefly flickered to the spot where she'd last seen her friend a few moments ago. _I'm definitely going to confront her about that later... I might talk to Sam too, it looks like he could use a friend right now... and it'll be the perfect opportunity to find out what he really feels for Quinn and Kurt._

She watched Sam shrug off the comforting touch that Quinn offered, walking down the hallway with an empty look on his face. His eyes briefly met hers and she shuddered slightly as she remembered where she'd last seen that same look of hurt and guilt... _Jesse_. She shook her head; trying to clear her mind of a certain rival who'd broken her heart... she needed to focus right now. Kurt and Sam needed her. _I'll talk to him after class and I __**will**__ get him to confess his feelings for Kurt... there's no way I'm letting Sam break his heart after what happened with Finn... a lot of it was my fault... I owe him this._ And with that thought in her mind, she turned to face her locker, grabbing the books she needed, before walking towards her first lesson.

KURT_SAM_GLEE_HUMMEL_EVANS_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HUMMEL_EVANS_HEAVANS

"Hey Quinn!" The blonde turned around, eyes meeting her friend's angered ones. She tried to not flinch at the intensity of her gaze, taking a breath to steady her voice before replying.

"Yeah Cedes?" Said girl's eyes narrowed slightly at the blonde's casual reply.

"Don't you 'Cedes' me! Have you any idea of the damage you've done already with this so called 'master plan' of yours?" The blonde tilted her head slightly.

"What are you talking ab..."

"I'm talking about how Kurt had to leave early yesterday just to get away from the pair of you... he was devastated..." Quinn rolled her eyes slightly.

"He was jealous Cedes, which means things are working to plan..."

"Forget about your stupid plan for a moment and listen to me!" The blonde recoiled slightly at the force behind her friend's words, a look of shock occupying her features. Mercedes, realising just how loud her voice had been, quickly scanned the area. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw no one else in the hall surrounding them. When she spoke again, he voice was a bare whisper; somehow this only made the impact of her words more powerful on the ex-cheerio.

"You really hurt Kurt with your actions yesterday. He now not only thinks that he's made up how Sam feels about him, the moments they spent together, their chemistry... he also believes that Sam's actually straight and his affection for the blonde is therefore hopeless... and to make things worse he now believes that one of his closest friends, who knew exactly how much he cared about Sam, has ultimately betrayed him... do you have any idea how much worse that's made things. He feels like he's not only lost any chance he had with Sam, but he's lost you as well... so yes he's devastated Quinn." The blonde was silent for a few moments, a look of guilt showing in her eyes as she considered Mercedes words.

"But he's still jealous so..." She tried to make her statement with conviction, but her words were shaky, as if even she didn't really believe them.

"Right now that doesn't matter Quinn. What matters is that you've seriously hurt your friend and as long as you and Sam continue with this twisted plan, you're only going to cause him, and Sam, more pain... and I know you're better than that." There was a brief pause as Mercedes gave the blonde a look. "You need to fix things... before everything falls to shit." The two girls turned a corner as Mercedes spoke, walking towards a certain blonde as she said her final words. Quinn stared in awed horror as she noted how vacant her 'boyfriend's' expression was. Her eyes met his and she was taken aback by the anger that plagued them. _God. What have I done?_

She tentatively stepped towards him, gently placing a delicate hand on his shoulder and trying not to flinch when he forcefully shrugged it away, turning from her and trudging down the corridors. She turned back to Mercedes, only to realise that she'd left while the ex-cheerio had been attempting to comfort Sam. So it was to an almost empty hallway that she uttered her next words. "I'm sorry Kurt, Sam, Cedes... I promise. I'll fix this." And with that she walked to class, mind desperately trying to figure out just how this plan had backfired, and how she could deal with the fallout.

KURT_SAM_GLEE_HUMMEL_EVANS_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HUMMEL_EVANS_HEAVANS

"So in that sense, Shakespeare was..." Sam easily ignored the droning voice of their English teacher who was currently struggling to gain the attention of her class... and failing. Since Holly had subbed, all of her lessons seemed even less interesting. No one really listened to her anymore... not that many people had originally. Still, the blonde noticed this more by this than usual now since he no longer had someone sat beside him, offering smiles and passing notes... yes Kurt's absence was everywhere.

The seat beside him, void of the soprano who usually occupied it, seemed to taunt him with its emptiness. _He's not even sitting with you now Evans, you've really screwed things up!_ The sheets of paper they were meant to write notes on blank, missing the elegant script of Kurt's handwriting, missing the hastily scrawled replies... missing the companionship.

His eyes locked onto the back of said missing companion who actually seemed to be paying attention to the lesson for once, pen whirring across the page from where he sat two rows in front of him... for Sam it may as well have been miles.

_All you fault. You did this. You screwed this up. All your fault..._ And it was. He'd been the one to sever this amazing connection he'd had with Kurt. He was the one who'd chosen to follow Quinn's stupid plan... and all because he was too scared. Scared of rejection, scared of being alone, scared of losing him if the feelings were unrequited... in hindsight it all seemed cruelly ironic. _I miss him_. And he did. He hated this sudden distance between them, he hated that he felt this huge gut wrenching loss when they'd only really been apart for less than a week, he hated the overpowering effect Kurt seemed to have on him... it terrified him.

As if aware of the direction of the blonde's thoughts, Kurt turned to face him, eyes locking together as neither were willing to break their gaze, to tear themselves away, as a sudden rush of emotion seemed to spark a connection between them... an almost tangible force, drawing them to one another...

The soprano looked away as he felt Tina place a hand on his shoulder, leaving Sam feeling a little bit overwhelmed. How was it possible that Kurt could have that kind of effect on him with just one look? The sadness in his eyes that made the blonde want to pull him into a hug and whisper apologies, the hurt seemed to double the horrible churning in his gut; guilt, the... longing? There was something in those eyes, something that told Sam that the soprano had felt the same connection that had passed between them in those few moments as he had... it gave him hope. _I may have majorly screwed things up... but maybe not forever._

He considered this as his eyes wearily returned to the blank sheet of paper in front of him, picking up his pen from where it had been laying idly during the rest of the lesson, and began to make some brief unintelligible notes. It didn't really matter what he wrote, their teacher never checked what they'd written anyway, and right now his mind was in no real position to consider making proper notes, even if he'd wanted to.

KURT_SAM_GLEE_HUMMEL_EVANS_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HUMMEL_EVANS_HEAVANS

Rachel smiled kindly at Britney as the blonde tried to explain how she felt about a certain Latina, frowning slightly as the cheerio told her about the way that Santana had reacted when she'd mentioned being in a real relationship. _Poor Brit, she looks so hurt. Why does this keep on happening to us? Kurt and Sam, Brit and San...who's next? _She quickly changed her train of thought, trying to banish any thoughts of Finn leaving her. _That would never happen, we love each other. After all, we trust each other with everything... no secrets. That's key to a relationship; trust... even if I wasn't that pleased to have heard about his night with Santana, at least he was brave enough to tell me about it. I really appreciate how much honesty he showed me that day..._ She broke out of her thoughts, turning back to the blonde in front of her who looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"I...I just don't know what I did wrong." Rachel quickly glanced at the teacher, noting that she was distracted by a derogatory comment Hunter had made about her and the lesson... he'd been acting up a lot more since the incident with Karofsky. She turned back to the blonde, pulling her into a hug.

"You haven't done anything wrong Brit, it's just Santana's probably confused about things right now..."

"Well that's okay then. I'm always confused. I know I'm not smart." Rachel pulled back from the hug, eyes meeting the blonde's.

"What makes you say that Brit?"

"Just things I say and do, people stare or laugh. Like last year when I went away with her and my parents, I got stuck in a revolving door." The blonde smiled slightly recalling the memory. "San helped me out though, and she yelled at the people who were laughing... she's always looked after me." She looked down for a moment, the smile on her face fading. "I miss her. Why can't we be together? I know that the jocks think girls and girls shouldn't be together, that it's wrong but I love her... how can love be wrong? I just don't get it Rachel." Sad eyes met sympathetic ones as Rachel squeezed the blonde's hand.

"I don't get it either Brit. And just so you know, you are smart. Maybe not in the way that honour roll students like Kurt or I may be, but what you just said about love shows a lot more wisdom than many of those who are supposedly intelligent will ever possess. You are clever! Okay?" The blonde smiled a slightly bitter smile.

"If I was clever, I'd have understood what you just said. But thanks anyway Rach." There was a brief pause when Rachel considered making a few notes, until the blonde spoke again. "Rach?" The girl nodded. "Can you help me with something?" Rachel smiled kindly.

"Sure. What is it?" The two girls continued to talk for the rest of the lesson, not noticing the pained eyes that watched the blonde's every movement, for the first time in her life wanting to be Rachel just to be closer to Brit... She really missed her.

KURT_SAM_GLEE_HUMMEL_EVANS_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HUMMEL_EVANS_HEAVANS

_I miss him..._ Kurt mused as he tried to focus on the lesson, using it as a distraction from his thoughts of a certain blonde... so far this technique wasn't proving to be a very successful one. _Why the hell do I miss him?_ His hand frantically jotted down notes, half of which had nothing to do with the lesson and more to do with his own train of thought, though he remained oblivious to this as his hand continued to move across the paper, covering it with the (surprisingly considering the speed of his note taking) neat elegant script of his hand writing. He ignored the way it looked almost wrong without Sam's untidy scrawl beside it.

_Because he's your best friend? Because you were inseparable until this? Because you still love him?_ And he did, and he hated that. He hated the way that he'd, yet again, gotten his hopes built up only to have them crushed by someone he'd believed was his friend, he hated that despite this all he could think of was a certain jock and how much he missed him and he hated how much power said jock had over him... it was more than a little concerning.

Almost like he was being drawn by some invisible force, he couldn't resist the sudden urge to look at the blonde, just for a moment. He turned with the intention of turning away again but their eyes met and the world just seemed to fade out, as corny as that sounded. A crackle of chemistry sparked between the two in a way it never had before, maybe it was because they were both so vulnerable right now, but for the first time he saw something in Sam's eyes he'd never seen before... longing.

Was he delusional? Possibly. Did he suddenly feel the beginnings of hope growing within him? Perhaps. Would he have torn his gaze away from the blonde if Tina hadn't put a hand of his shoulder? Probably not. Rachel's words seemed to surface in his mind '_Don't lose faith yet Kurt...'_ Maybe he should take her advice.

KURT_SAM_GLEE_HUMMEL_EVANS_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HUMMEL_EVANS_HEAVANS

Rachel bolted out of her seat the moment the bell rang, offering a quick smile of apology to a confused Britney, before rushing out of the classroom door, scanning the hallway until she spotted certain friend of hers calmly walking away to her next class. "Cedes!" The girl turned, a look of confusion apparent on her face, as her mind registered the tone of Rachel's voice. "A word?" She nodded, following the shorter brunette to the choir room. As soon as the door was shut, she turned to face Mercedes, eyes blazing with anger as she asked. "What the hell was that earlier?"

"What was what..."

"Don't pretend you don't know! How could you do that to Kurt?" The other girl still seemed confused.

"Do what to Kurt? Rachel what's..."

"I saw you talking to Quinn earlier. After all she's done to Kurt, Cedes how could you? You're meant to be his best friend! We trusted you!" Confusion turned to anger as the taller girl replied.

"Okay firstly, you have no idea what that conversation was about so don't assume that I've suddenly betrayed you all by talking to her okay? Secondly, I _am_ his best friend. Wanna know why? Because I was there for him through the really tough times... the times that none of the rest of you were." She looked directly into the smaller girl's eyes as she continued to talk. "I don't think most of you realise that while what happened with Karofsky was undoubtedly worse, he was putting up with similar abuse everyday for years... and no one did anything. The only other person who I'd say has really been there for him is, ironically enough, Sam. Because he did what no other person would do, he took a stand and fought for him... So if I want to give him a chance to fix his mistakes because I believe him and Kurt need each other then... who are you to call me a bad friend?" She shook her head slightly as if trying to clear her thoughts. "I thought you were better than making snap judgements without evidence... I'm disappointed."

"Okay so you didn't betray Kurt? Why _were_ you talking to Quinn then? Shouldn't you be talking to Sam about fixing things with him? After all, he's the one you're willing to forgive so in that case surely..." The other girl let out a sigh.

"I know that you like to know everyone's business Rachel and I'm not judging you for it, we both know I'm twice as bad as you when it comes to gossiping and rumours, but for once could you let it go and just leave this? Please, this situation is already messed up enough, the more people who know about it, the worse it'll get. Sam and Quinn need to fix this mess on their own."

Rachel's mouth opened briefly as if to protest before she seemed to reconsider her words. "Okay." Mercedes smiled slightly.

"Thanks." The taller girl exited the choir room, leaving the brunette sat by herself, considering Mercedes words. _It seems Mercedes hasn't betrayed Kurt but... there's something suspicious about her behaviour. The way she avoided the subject and then told me to back off (more or less) when I asked her upfront about why she was speaking to Quinn... she knows something about this, something that she's not telling me, or Kurt, or anyone. But what?_

She was broken out of her train of thought by the sound of the choir room door opening and a certain blonde entering. He turned, noticing the brunette standing beside the piano, and moving to leave when Rachel spoke. "Wait. Have a seat Sam, I think we need to have a little talk about some things..." The blonde looked a bit concerned by the expression of the diva's face mixed with the calm tone of her voice.

"Um... you okay Rachel because you're freaking me out a bit?" The brunette rolled her eyes.

"Have a seat, this won't take long." The blonde looked ready to leave when her eyes narrowed, encouraging him to sit down for his own safety. "So Sam... I hear you're dating Quinn now." He nodded. "Funny, you don't seem too enthusiastic about it..." She almost smirked when she saw the sudden panicked look in his eyes.

"Um... of course I am! I mean Quinn's great!" Rachel quirked an eyebrow.

"Funny you should say that since I saw you talking to Kurt earlier." The jocks eyes widened slightly. "And you seemed pretty upset when he blew you off... and you didn't seem too happy to see your 'girlfriend' after that." Sam's eyes suddenly seemed to become fixated with the floor. "Sam are you sure it's really Quinn that you want to be with?" A moment of silence. "Because I'm not sure she is. You and Kurt have way more chemistry as a pair, both musically and romantically... and you spent a lot of time together when the two of you were practising your duet together... and you did let him take you shopping twice, which considering what he's like when it comes to shopping says an awful lot about the strength of the bond between the two of you... and you're best friends and people that close to one another always seem to become more than that whereas you and Quinn never even talked before so..."

"But..."

"Sam just tell me the truth, I won't judge you for it." There was a brief moment when the blonde considered his reply.

"Okay so maybe I love him and not Quinn. Happy?" Rachel frowned.

"Not really, cause here's the thing Evans. You've really hurt my friend with your actions. You dating Quinn, for some reason I can't even begin to understand, has convinced Kurt that is feelings for you are unrequited, that you're straight, and that you didn't even trust him enough as a friend to confide in him your feelings for her... you've made him question everything about him, you, your friendship and any possible relationship he'd believed you might have... and it's breaking him apart Sam." The blonde's eyes blurred slightly as a few stray tears threatened to spill. "I just want to know why. What made you think this was a good idea?"

"Quinn." Her brow furrowed in confusion. "It was Quinn's idea to do this. She told me that she had this great idea to get me and him together, that all had to do was pretend to date her and Kurt would be so jealous that he'd confess his feelings and then we could be together... in hindsight, even I can see how unrealistic the idea is but I wasn't thinking that at the time okay?"

"So what were you thinking?" Her voice had taken on a more gentle tone, attempting to coax the answer out of the blonde, even if a huge part of her wanted to slap him for his actions.

"I was thinking about how scared I was that Kurt would reject me. How at least this way I wouldn't have to be the one who put myself out on the line and risk rejection. And... I was thinking about how it would buy me more time." Rachel tilted her head slightly to show her confusion. "I'm... gay Rachel. I've known it for years now but this is the first time I've ever said it out loud. Spending time with Kurt has helped me finally come to terms with it but... I'm not ready for everyone to know yet." He looked down at his hands as he continued.

"When Quinn told me during that phone call that she knew how I felt about Kurt it terrified me. I realised then that while I was proud of who I am, I wasn't ready for the world to know just yet... I guess I'm just not that brave. So I panicked. She gave me a chance to hide behind a guise of being straight for a little bit longer and I took it without question... I guess I'm just not good enough for him Rachel. After all, he deserves someone who's able to take pride in themselves, in him, in the relationship that they have... I'm just a coward whose self loathing rises every time I look in the mirror, or attempt a dance move that I can't pull off, or see the hurt look in Kurt's eyes... I'll never be good enough for him."

Rachel watched with sad eyes as the blonde's unshed tears began to fall. Without warning, she pulled him into a hug, whispering softly to him. "Hey, hey. It's okay. It's okay." She waited until his breathing pattern had calmed a bit before continuing. "I may not know about this first hand but I know how hard it is to come out." The blonde scoffed slightly. "It's true. You know I have two gay dads?" Sam's eyebrows raised in surprise, reminding Rachel that he hadn't been in New Directions from the beginning and therefore didn't know a lot of the information that other members did.

"Well I do. And they've told me several times about how difficult their lives were at my age. It's not easy knowing you're different from other people, knowing that they'll judge you for that... it hurts. But Sam, there are those who won't judge you. And they are the ones that will matter the most. Take Kurt for example, he's highly unlikely to judge you for the way you are isn't he?" Sam smiled slightly. "And then there's me and Mercedes who will undoubtedly stand by you, in fact the whole of the Glee club would. We're a family in this choir room and we protect our family." She grinned at him. "No matter what, we'll always have your back okay? None of us in there like you for being gay or straight, we like you for being _you_... and as long as you're with Quinn, you're not that guy Sam. You'll never be happy if you're living a lie."

"But I still can't help but worry how jerks like Hunter and Azimo would react, especially once Karofsky's back... they might pick on Kurt more if they believe he's somehow turned me, you know what those dicks are like..." The brunette placed a soft hand on his shoulder, squeezing it slightly.

"Then we'll face them, together. Trust me Sam, no matter how hard it'll be to face what those Neanderthals have to say about you, it won't be as bad as if you lost Kurt to some other guy because you waited too long... If you don't tell him, he'll assume you're straight and will find someone else. He can't wait for you forever Sam." The blonde nodded.

"I'd never expect him to." He let out a sigh. "I'll think about it Rachel, I just don't know if I'm ready to tell people yet, but I'll consider what you've said."

"Good." She smiled slightly. "And if you want to try talking to Kurt again, do it when Tina's not around. She's a little bit protective of Kurt so right now you probably wouldn't want to cross her... and if you ever need someone to talk to, anytime, anywhere, call me and I'll always be there to listen; I promise." The blonde gave her a gentle smile.

"Thanks Rachel. I really appreciate this... you've given me a lot to think about." He got up to leave, pausing just before he left the room. "Thanks for caring enough to listen to what I had to say. Only Kurt's really done that before... I'll see you around." And with that he was gone, leaving Rachel with a lot more hope then she'd previously had. _I knew he liked Kurt._

KURT_SAM_GLEE_HUMMEL_EVANS_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HUMMEL_EVANS_HEAVANS

"Hey Cedes!" Said girl let out a sigh, as she noted the ex-cheerio rushing across the corridor towards her. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"We'll be late for class..." the girl half heartedly protested.

"Cedes?" Said diva relented, leading the blonde to an empty classroom and sitting in one of the chairs.

"What is it Q?" There was a moment of silence as Quinn took a seat, turning it so she was sat opposite Mercedes, before she replied.

"Well I was thinking about Sam and what you said about the plan and... so maybe you're right about it not being such a great idea. I swear though, I'm gonna fix this. I owe that much to them." Mercedes nodded.

"So what's your new plan then?" The blonde's brow furrowed slightly.

"I'm still working out the specifics but it'll have to involve Sam being more open about his feelings. He may be obviously in love with Kurt to the point where almost everyone knows... but he's still not obvious enough if Kurt doesn't realise that his feelings are reciprocated. Hmm... maybe a grand gesture of some kind... I'm not sure yet." Mercedes refrained from sighing.

"Just nothing too over the top Q, I get the feeling that Sam's still a bit unsure about life outside the closet." The blonde's eyebrows quirked slightly.

"Really?" The diva nodded.

"Yeah. I figure that's why he so readily agreed to your plan... speaking of which. I kind of understand why Sam went along with this plan... but what made you think that this plan would actually work Q?" The ex-cheerio looked slightly offended by the statement, causing Mercedes to interject. "I didn't mean that in an insulting way... I've already done my part as Kurt's protective best friend, I'm just curious about your motives." There was another moment of silence as the blonde seemed to consider how to phrase her reply.

"Well, my first thought was that I had to figure out a way to get Kurt to make a move on Sam... because, based on my observations, Kurt was far more willing to pursue something that he wanted. Sam seemed a little less confidant in himself so I figured he'd never really do anything if left to deal with the situation on his own." Mercedes grudgingly agreed with the blonde when it came to her views on who was more likely to pursue a relationship, but remained silent knowing that there were several other ways the blonde could have gone about her plan if this was her only reason.

"And then I remembered how Kurt pursued Finn last year, despite having a pregnant girlfriend and Rachel as competition... I figured, if he was willing to fight that hard for Finn's love, he'd fight even harder for Sam's since the two of them have... well had... this incredible bond between them." The blonde paused. "And then I remembered how he tried to sabotage Rachel last year by giving her that awful makeover and I thought if that was inspired by jealousy, maybe he'd do even more if he thought he had competition for Sam." Mercedes eyes widened slightly.

"So I figured that he could pretend to date someone to make Kurt jealous... but it had to be believable and since there's no guys 'out' at this school except for him, I stepped in... I didn't realise at the time that it would make him believe Sam was straight. I didn't think about that part. I figured he'd be so jealous that any other emotions he felt about the situation would be ignored or..." Mercedes cut her off.

"Okay listen to me Quinn. Firstly, I agree with you when you say Sam was less likely to confess than Kurt was... and yes jealousy drove him to all kinds of extremes last year... but you already mentioned one key difference that makes this situation so different from last year... their incredible bond. The difference is Kurt's feelings are requited, the difference is Kurt's feelings... are _real_." The blonde's face showed the telltale signs of confusion.

"Kurt _loves_ Sam... he never really loved Finn. Wanted him? Of Course he did. Was jealous of you and Rachel? Of course he was... but what he really _loved_ about Finn was the respect he showed him, the kindness... he became Kurt's 'safe option'. Sam was the opposite in some senses as your heart is never more at risk than when you fall in love... he and he alone has the potential to absolutely crush Kurt... you can see what kind of affect you and Sam have already had on him... just imagine if he'd said those words Finn had last year just how much more devastated Kurt would be... starting to see the difference yet?" The blonde mutely nodded.

"I'm not mad at you Quinn... I'm a pretty frustrated and disappointed but not mad anymore because I know you didn't do this to hurt him... you just don't _know_ him, at least not in the way I or Rachel do." She offered a brief smile. "Rachel gets him better than most people, possibly even me, because take away the fashion sense and gender and they're practically twins... don't ever say I said that though, Kurt'd probably kill me... But they are... So she almost completely understands what he's going through... and as for me and Kurt, we go way back. We pretty much know each other inside out. Before Sam came along we were practically joined at the hip..." She paused for a moment, as if reminiscing.

"So I know all the things about him that most people wouldn't. Like the fact that he works weekends in his dad's garage in order to pay for his outfits or that, despite the fact that he's one of the world's best cooks, he once, somehow, managed to burn _rice_... I'm not kidding. I saw it for myself." Mercedes realised she was getting sidetracked, so returned to the point she was trying to make. "Look, the point I'm trying to make is, you know me pretty well since we lived together for a while, but you've never really gotten to know Kurt for who he really is... behind his attitude and style, he's still as scared and insecure as the rest of us. You've never really seen him at his most vulnerable have you?" She pause for a moment, considering how to explain this to the blonde.

"I remember comforting Kurt after Finn called him... well you know what he called him. I won't say it." The blonde nodded. "He was broken Quinn... I've never seen him so hurt. I sat with him for hours just holding him while he cried... this is the side of himself he hides from the world. I think only me; Sam and possibly Rachel have gotten the chance to see him like that. He's not as indestructible as he seems Quinn..."

"I've really messed up haven't I?" The blonde looked devastated. Mercedes hesitated before pulling her into a hug.

"Hey, at least you realise that now." She offered Quinn a smile. "And you told me yourself that you plan to fix things so have a little faith in yourself... and please consult me before enacting your plans." Quinn nodded, a faint smile coming to her lips at Mercedes last words.

"Okay."

**A/N: So what did you think? Let me know! I'd also love to hear any theories on how Quinn plans to 'fix things'... and just how successful her plans will be. The next chapter will (if things go to plan) mark the beginning of the solos assignment so I'd love to hear guesses on who'll sing first and what they might be singing!... so in other words, I'd love to hear any theories you have on this story!**

**On another note entirely, 'Born This Way' was SO much better than 'Night Of Neglect'. From Kurt's beautiful version of 'As If We Never Said Goodbye', to the developments in Will and Emma's relationship, to having an insight into Quinn's back story, to the Faberry duet, to the 'Barbaravention', to the development of Karofsky's character, to the Britanna interaction, to 'Born This Way' itself... I truly loved this episode for so many different reasons. Definitely an improvement from last week's disappointment (maybe it was because there was no 'League of Doom' in the episode? And Tina made it through a solo without randomly bursting into tears? Come on Ryan Murphy; are either of those things really necessary?).**

**And moving on from the episode... the promo for the next one... wow! Suddenly I'm anxiously awaiting the next episode even more than usual... what's your thoughts on it? Do you think they'll actually follow through with Hevans like a lot of us hope they will? Do you think they'll use this as an excuse to end the possibility of Hevans happening? Or do you think they'll suggest it's possible, but keep Klaine together for the time being? ... I personally put my money on the third option (because I can't imagine them rushing their plotline like this after how long they drew out Klaine... I'd probably be weirdly disappointed if they were actually together in the next episode purely for that reason... and also that it wouldn't be fair on Blaine or Sam if Kurt was with both of them- and I know Kurt's better than that! He'd never cheat... unlike some people *cough* Quinn *cough*. Besides, if Hevans happens, it shouldn't be rushed! It deserves proper development just like any other relationship on the show!). Sorry about that little rant in the brackets... Anyway, I'd love to hear your thoughts!**

**And with that, all I have left to say is a huge thank you to anyone reading this story! I'm so incredibly grateful for your support- it really means the world to me!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	23. Old Problems New Master Plans

**A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry for the slightly late update this week- my laptop was not my friend this week... on the bright side, this is the second longest chapter written to date (plus we get to see the first of the solos from the new Glee assignment!). A huge thanks to anyone reading/alerting/favoriting/reviewing this story! I actually have **_**92**_** alerts... That's just surreal. Thank you all so much! A special thanks goes to **_**RoseBelikov'at'**_**, **_**Onyx Nailo**_**, **_**sydg813**_**, **_**STARZHEI**_**, **_**sassy selena**_**, **_**CrimsynLies**_**, **_**JustAStrangerPassingBy**_**, **_**harrylover101**_**, **_**SweetTormentedAngel**_**, **_**MrRyanSmall**_** and **_**Can'tButLoveRentIt **_**(x2) for such lovely reviews- I think this has officially broken the record for the most reviews I've ever received on anything... and it was just for one chapter so, you're all amazing!**

**A final note before I start this chapter, my beta **_**KennyIsOrange**_** seems to have disappeared... and I don't know where to. So, I've got another person beta-ing my work for now- they don't have an account but they are a fan of fanfiction (no pun intended) so they volunteered when they found out my old beta had gone missing... hopefully Kenny will return soon!**

**Anyway, with no further ado, the next chapter! Hope you all like it! Enjoy!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**

Sam's mind still considered Rachel's words as he walked alone through the corridors. _Maybe she's right. I may not be ready to tell everyone yet... but maybe I could tell __**him**__? She said he wouldn't judge me for it and she's right. After all, he's probably been through the same doubts and fears that I'm going through right now... maybe he could help me..._ He let out a sigh. _But how do I tell him if he won't even talk to me?_ He continued to toy with the idea of coming out to the soprano as he walked, barely noticing said soprano, lost in his own thoughts, until the pair almost collided.

"Oh I'm so sorry I... Kurt?" The brunette met his gaze and, despite himself, offered a slight smile to the blonde.

"Hey Sam." The blonde gave his own smile in return, causing the brunette's smile to widen slightly. "And don't worry about it; I wasn't really paying attention either..." The two stood in companionable silence for a moment, before Kurt spoke again. "Sorry about earlier I shouldn't have rushed off like that..."

"No it's fine Tina needed your help. I guess we're even now." The brunette quirked an eyebrow. "Yesterday when I had to hand in that assignment? I guess we've both been a bit distant since that meal at Breadstix... and I'm sorry about that, I know it's my fault." He looked down at his feet as he murmured his next words. "I've missed you."

The brunette gaze softened as he took in the apologetic blonde in front of him. Internally he let out a sigh, he just couldn't stay mad at Sam when he said things like that... _sometimes it annoys me how much I care for him._ "I've missed you too Sam." At those words, without warning, the blonde pulled the brunette into a hug, surprising Kurt slightly but causing him to smile nonetheless as he returned the embrace. When they drew apart, a sheepish smile graced the jocks face. Kurt couldn't help but think it was slightly adorable.

"Okay there's something I need to tell you Kurt." He took a deep breath to calm himself. _I can't believe I'm about to do this. I really hope Rachel was right about this. Come on Sam! Just say it! _"Kurt I..." His next words were cut off by the sound of someone calling his name. The pair turned to see Quinn standing at the other end of the hallway. When Sam turned back to face the brunette in front of him, he felt his heart break slightly at the look of hurt that Kurt was trying to mask with frustration... it wasn't working.

"I guess I'll leave you two alone." Kurt's voice wavered slightly as he spoke, causing Sam's torn up heart to split further as the brunette began to walk away.

"Wait Kurt!" The soprano gave no indication that he'd heard the blonde, continuing to walk away, leaving Sam and Quinn alone. A pair of broken eyes turned back to Quinn. "What the hell do you want?"

GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_

_How could I forget about Quinn? How could I think that he'd...? I'm such an idiot. _Kurt mused as he walked towards where Mercedes was waiting for him. _I've got to stop thinking that my feelings are requited. Why did I let Rachel help me even consider the idea that they might be? He chose __**Quinn**__. A __**girl.**__ You are his __**friend**__. _But a smaller part of his mind refused to believe his musings. _He said he missed __**me**__... he cares about __**me**__. What about all of the texts he sent yesterday Surely that's not just because of friendship._ The other part of his mind countered._ But I'm his best friend Kurt. His oldest friend, his closest friend... he cares for me like a brother._ Kurt tried to ignore how that thought made him feel ill. _I need to just give up and move on before I ruin our friendship, just like I did with Finn... our relationship's never been the same since..._ He shook his head slightly, trying to remove all memories of Finn saying _those _words._ I need to just give up, before everyone gets hurt by my actions... just like they were before._

GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_

"What the hell do you want?" The ex-cheerio recoiled slightly at the anger behind the jock's words but nonetheless replied.

"Okay I know I've kind of messed things up a bit..."

"You think? Kurt is barely talking to me, half the Glee club seems to hate me... but none of them quite a strongly as I hate myself..." He barely even noticed when Quinn placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Listen to me. This is _not_ your fault. It's mine. I made some serious errors when I put this plan together and I fully take the blame for what's happened... I'm really sorry Sam." Said blonde let out a sigh.

"It's okay Quinn. I know you were only trying to help... And you can't take all the blame. I agreed to the plan so I'm just as much to blame as you are." He looked down at his feet. "How the hell are we gonna fix this?"

"Well that's actually what I came here to talk to you about... I might have an idea." The jock looked up at Quinn with wary interest.

"Will this idea actually work?"

"I think so." She noticed the uncertainty flickering through Sam's gaze. "It will, I promise."

"How can you be so sure after what's happened Quinn? Have you really thought this through?" Said girl looked slightly annoyed at Sam's words as she replied.

"Do you really think I wouldn't think things through after last time? Do you think I like seeing the two of you in pain? No. Kurt's my friend and while he may hate me at the moment, I really care about him and I hate the fact that I've hurt him. I want to fix this Sam, not make it worse." She took a breath to calm herself before continuing. "I've thought up a few different ways you could subtly hint that you like him, giving him hope and rebuilding your relationship, and once they've worked, which they will, I'll help you to organise some grand gesture to show your feelings for him." Noting the panicked expression on the blonde's face she added, "It doesn't have to happen at McKinley." He offered her a slight smile of thanks.

"Thanks Quinn, I'm just not..."

"I know. You're not ready. I'm guessing that's why you agreed to this stupid plan?" She took his silence as a yes. "I understand that you're scared and need time to come to terms with who you are... but you need to at least consider coming out if you want to be with him Sam... He'll want to be able to walk down the hallways with you, go on dates... you won't be able to do that from the wrong side of the closet door... just at least consider it. I want you to be happy together... you deserve it after this." She smiled slightly at him. "I really am sorry." The pair stood in silence for a few moments before the jock had a thought.

"Quinn?" the blonde nodded. "Shouldn't we break up before we do any of this? We might just confuse Kurt if I try to pursue him while still 'dating' you." Quinn considered this for a moment before replying.

"I'm not sure if that's a great idea." Sam's face clearly showed confusion. "We've only been 'dating' for two days, if we break up now it'll look pretty suspicious to everyone, especially Kurt. I don't think he'd be too pleased to find out that he suffered because of our lies and our attempts to manipulate his feelings. He's a lot less likely to forgive us if he knows the truth." Sam sighed.

"But doesn't he deserve to know? After all, we've hurt him with these lies. He has every right to hate us for what we've done..."

"I know." There was a moment of silence before Quinn spoke again. "So are you willing to be a part of this plan or not?" Sam hesitated to reply, considering if he could really trust the blonde in front of him... _there's something she's not telling me. Otherwise she'd have been willing to 'break up' and face the consequences... maybe there's another reason she was so willing to go through with her master plan... maybe a reason that even she's unaware of. But if that's the case, can I really trust her to make sure she fixes things between me and Kurt?_

"Do you promise that this plan will work?" The ex-cheerio nodded.

"I'm sure."

"I hope so..." He hesitated again, mind briefly flickering to the hurt in Kurt's eyes... if there was any chance he could remove that pain, he'd take it. "...okay then."

"You won't regret this Sam." She smiled a little wider at him.

"I hope you're right."

GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_

Rachel left her last lesson of the day, head held high as she tried to block out any thoughts of the heartache which half of her friends seemed to be suffering from, instead focussing her thoughts on something more positive; her imminent solo in Glee club. _Once Mr Shue hears me sing this, he'll forget all of those thoughts about Santana singing female lead for Sectionals... after all, I hear the Dalton Academy Warblers are very talented... Especially their lead, Blaine Anderson. Mr Shue can't afford to use any of our weaker singers if we want to beat them! Once he hears me sing he'll see that... won't he?_

She shook her head, clearing the more selfish thoughts from her mind as she began to consider the conversation she'd had with Sam earlier. _He seems pretty lonely at the moment... probably because all of his friends have taken Kurt's side and are therefore shunning him... maybe I should sit with him in Glee club then? But... then Kurt will think I'm betraying him._ She let out a sigh. _Why can't things between our Glee club just be simple for once?_

She was about halfway down the corridor when she heard whispers coming from an empty classroom beside her. Curiosity getting the best of her, she carefully edged towards the open door in order to hear the conversation better.

"...you were meant to tell me before you did anything Quinn. I don't care if you haven't put your plan into action! You were meant to come to me first before you said anything to Sam. He's not thinking too rationally right now, he'd probably agree to anything just to win Kurt back, regardless of whether it'll actually work..." Quinn's angry voice cut across Mercedes as she replied.

"You really have that little faith in me Cedes..."

"Actually I do after the way your last plan turned out! You told me to trust you then and I did and look where it got us!" There was a moment of silence before the blonde replied.

"I've already said I'm sorry Cedes, what more can I do other than try to fix things?"

"Just... promise me this'll work Quinn. I can't bear to see either of them hurt even more by your plans." Her voice was a bare whisper, sounding broken as Mercedes remembered comforting a broken Kurt after he'd first seen the new 'couple', Rachel felt her own heart break as her own memories of that night resurfaced in her mind.

"I promise. You're not the only one who doesn't want to see them hurt anymore."

She moved away from the door, choosing instead to search for Sam. She figured that it was time she had another word with him.

GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_

"Hey Sam." The blonde turned before smiling slightly when he spotted Rachel.

"Hey Rach. What's up?"

"Nothing really except... I hear Quinn's got a new plan involving you and Kurt?" Sam nodded.

"Yeah. She's kind of realised that we've messed up big time so she's come up with a plan to fix things between me and Kurt." The brunette tried to ignore the sense of foreboding she felt when she heard the words 'Quinn' and 'plan' in the same sentence, deciding she should ask what it was before judging it.

"So what is this plan then?" The blonde let out a slight sigh.

"Well basically... I don't fully know." Rachel's brow furrowed slightly in concern. "Well I do know it involves a few small gestures to get back into his good books... and then some grand gesture. But she hasn't told me what yet so..."

"So basically you're trusting her to come up with a plan that'll actually work without any input from you or anyone else? Given her track record, I don't think that's exactly wise..."

"I know that." There was a brief silence before Sam muttered a few more words. "But I've got no choice Rachel... he doesn't really talk to me anymore, we don't spend any time together, most of the Glee club are shunning me, not that I blame them, for what I've done... It's kind of ironic. After Breadstix, I was afraid that I'd made myself too vulnerable by relying so much on Kurt, now I've lost him... and I'm more vulnerable than ever." He let out a sigh. "I _need_ him... and if there's even the slightest chance that Quinn's plan will work then I'll take it... I have to try." The brunette nodded slightly in understanding.

"Okay." She smiled sadly. "Just please make sure that this plan actually works before you carry it out. I really don't want to see you or Kurt in any more pain than you already are... just promise me you'll make sure it's a good idea before you follow this plan through." Her eyes silently pleaded with the blonde, making Sam nod slightly.

"I promise."

GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_

Will surveyed the choir room, eyes taking in the obvious divide in the students in front of him. He particularly took note of how Sam and Santana seemed to be isolated from the group, Tina and Puck sending the occasional glare in their direction. Both the Latina and the blonde jock looked devastated, their eyes constantly being drawn across the room to where a certain couple of cheerios sat. The Spanish teacher barely resisted the urge to let out a sigh of frustration.

_The last time I saw these kids, they were closer than ever... now they all seem so distant. Something must have happened... but what could have caused this?_ His eyes scanned the room, noticing the absence of two if his students. "Does anyone know where Quinn and Mercedes are?" He received several variations of 'no' in response, causing him to stare at the choir room door in confusion. _Where are they? It's unlike either of them to be late for a Glee rehearsal... Puck or Brittany I could understand..._ He smiled slightly at the memory of the blonde being late because she'd forgotten where the choir room was... Santana had been very protective of her, glaring at Puck when he'd started laughing _... But them?_

Will soon forgot his confusion when the pair arrived, apologising for their lateness and taking seats at opposite sides of the 'divide'. He noticed Tina and Kurt give Mercedes a questioning look when she sat with them, before the shorter girl turned to glare slightly at the late blonde. The Glee club director observed this with confusion which only increased when he noticed Quinn slip her hand into Sam's, turning to engage him in a heated conversation. _Quinn and Sam? Are they dating? Could that be what's causing this split in the group... that would make sense considering how everyone expected Kurt and Sam to... and Quinn and Puck._ He turned to observe the later, noticing how his eyes seemed to soften at the sight of the ex-cheerio.

He drew himself out of his observations, choosing instead to focus on the Glee assignment... _I'll worry about the newest feud within New Direction later. Maybe I can even get Emma involved by getting her to talk to the kids about this..._

"So, the assignment I set was to find a solo to express yourself, focussing on your emotions. So..." He rolled his eyes at the way Rachel's hand shot up. "...Rachel would you like to start us off." Said diva grinned before moving to the centre of the room.

"The song I've chosen if from a brilliant musical, that's become a YouTube phenomenon, by a group called Starkid. It's called 'A Very Potter Sequel' and I've found one of the songs really relates to my struggles as an artist..." She smiled as she noted the rolled eyes from Mercedes and Kurt. "...and as a person, to be accepted for who I am." She gave a slight nod to Brad who began to play the opening notes to the song, prompting a smile from Kurt who immediately recognised the melody.

_All my dreams  
I'm chasing after,  
They don't need  
All this laughter..._

She looked down slightly as she sung the first part, eyes beginning to rise to meet her audience as she sung the word 'laughter'... for once, neither Santana or Puck were showing any signs of it, despite the fact that they tended to smirk whenever she got too emotionally involved in a solo, for once the room watched her with interest and respect... it was a nice change._  
_  
_I take a grain of salt,  
Stiff upper lip.  
It's not their fault  
I'm not as hip.  
Wake up kid, you know you're more than this..._

She leant on the piano as if to steady herself, eyes meeting Sam's as she sung the words 'you know you're more than this' as he offered her a sad smile.__

I'm the smartest person  
That I've ever met.

This prompted a few laughs, but they were well natured. Mercedes in particular seemed very amused by her words, causing Rachel to almost break her character and smile in return... of course she managed to resist. After all, Rachel Berry was nothing if not a professional.

_So why do I allow myself  
To possibly forget._

There's so much I know how to do,  
So much more than all of you.  
The only thing I wish I knew  
Was how to make them see  
The girl that I can be...

She allowed a smile to show on her face as she reached the chorus of the song.__

I am  
The coolest girl in the whole wide world  
I know it  
But can't show it at all.

I am  
Sick and tired  
Of low, not higher  
Places, where I should belong.  
It's about time I proved them wrong...

She gave a slight smirk to the bemused looking Glee club director before continuing.__

Give me a shot  
To show what I've got!  
I'm a helluva whole lot more

Than this frizzy hair,  
These frumpy clothes I wear,  
Though I rock 'em like nobody you've seen before

The last three lines of the bridge earned the diva a pair of rolled eyes from a certain fashion-conscious soprano who jokingly mouthed 'hopeless' to Mercedes, causing the girl to laugh slightly as the singer smiled at them both.__

'Cause I am  
The coolest girl in the whole wide world  
I know it  
Below it all.

I am  
Done with losin',  
On with choosin'

Her eyes briefly met her boyfriend's, heart warming slightly at the look of pride and love in his eyes. She put even more effort into the last part of the song, belting it out.__

The coolest girl on the face of the planet,  
The coolest bitch on earth, goddammit!  
The coolest chick you've ever seen or heard!

_So you can try to bring me down,  
But sorry guys, I'm stickin' around!_

At these two lines, her mind flickered to every Neanderthal that had ever slushied her and any cheerio who had ever teased her... she pictured their faces the day she became a star and they realised what idiots they'd been.

_I've thought about it, and I've found_

That I am the coolest girl!  
... Yeah!

There were a couple of moments silence after she'd finished singing before the entire room broke into applause. Will had a huge smile on his face when he congratulated her on her performance.

"Great work Rachel. I really enjoyed it! You really managed to take that song and make it relate to you as an individual, I'm very impressed." She beamed at his praise before taking a seat next to Mercedes and in front of Finn, feeling a lot more confidant now that Mr Shue would think twice before considering Santana instead of her as lead soloist. "Okay next?" A few members raised their hands so Will decided to pick at random. "Tina?" The girl nodded, moving forward to stand in the place Rachel had stood in just moments ago.

She offered the group a smile before she spoke. "I've chosen this song because it really relates to a time in my life before I joined the Glee club. A time when I was incredibly shy... and lonely." She noticed her friends and Mike offering her comforting smiles, causing her to offer her own soft smile in return. "I've come a long way since then, but there's still a part of me that's the friendless, quiet girl who used to sit in the corner of a room, trying to pretend I didn't exist... because I found it easier that way. So I decided that this would be the part of myself that I'd focus on for this assignment. Hope you all like it." She gave a slight nod to the two guitarists in the band who began to strum the opening notes.

_Mother said: Stand up straight.  
Don't let your classmates make,  
You feel like you don't belong._

She sung the words eyes downcast as she recalled the abuse that she'd received from jocks and cheerios alike when she'd first joined McKinley about her dress sense- calling her ugly, weird, freaky... none of it had hurt as much as the isolation had; the feeling that she wasn't good enough, the feeling that she was alone.

_So not like the rest of them,  
Someday, the best of them,  
Will realize they were wrong._

She offered a smile to Kurt as she sung those lines, mind recalling the countless scathing comments she'd heard the soprano make about the jocks working for him one day... she looked forward to the look on their faces when that day arrived.

_But in my world, different, then lonely  
The last place I wanted to be...  
Was standing out in a crowd,  
Where the spotlight finds you and singles you out.  
What are they whispering' about?  
You're thinkin' up ways to take up less space...  
I can't see the grace in it...  
Standing out in a crowd._

She offered a sad smile as she allowed herself to remember how she'd felt before Glee. Invisible, worthless... sometimes she still wondered if she really was all that special. After all, she wasn't destined for Broadway like Rachel or Kurt, or the next Aretha like Mercedes, she wasn't pretty like Quinn or athletic like Santana or Brittany, she wasn't a genius like Mike or Artie or amazing at sports like Sam, Finn and Puck... she just felt like the weak link the majority of the time when she sat in the choir room... but Kurt, Mercedes and Mike had always disagreed with her; telling her that she had a unique but brilliant sense of style, that she had a stunning voice, that she was beautiful... coming from them, people she admired, trusted, loved... it meant the world.__

Too short, too tall;

She jokingly gestured to Rachel and Finn as she sung these lines, causing them both to grin at her, thankfully amused instead of offended.

_Flower against the wall...  
The last one chosen to play.  
Too smart, too dumb,_

Again she jokingly gestured, only this time to Artie and Brittany, the former who gave her a mock offended face and the later whose sad eyes made Tina wonder if she'd taken things too far before the blonde offered a small smile causing the singer to internally breathe a sigh of relief.

_Too strange a place to be from...  
Same shoes every day.  
With all these ways to be different,  
Then maybe that's how you fit in._

By standing out in the crowd,  
Where the spotlight finds you and singles you out.  
What are they whispering' about?  
You're thinkin' up ways to take up less space...  
Instead of embracing it...  
Standing' out in a crowd.

By now, Mercedes, Kurt and Rachel were swaying to the music and Mike was grinning proudly as his girlfriend continued to perform. The rest of the group's faces showed varying looks of amusement or appreciation for the song.__

It's funny how now,  
It's not such a bad place to be.

With these words, Tina allowed herself to smile fully, eyes meeting each of the Glee club members in turn as she scanned the room... even Quinn, with admittedly some reluctance. She knew there was more to the two blonde's relationship than met the eye, there had to be considering the serious lack of chemistry between the two, but she still couldn't help but feel resentment towards the ex-cheerio for the pain she was causing, not only to Kurt and Sam, but also to a certain Mowhawked jock who sat in the corner of the choir room, sneaking glances at the blonde, and looking more and more dejected as his looks weren't returned.

_Standing out in a crowd.  
Standing out in a crowd._

Standing out in a crowd,  
Where the spotlight finds you and singles you out.  
What are they whispering' about?  
You're thinkin' up ways to take up less space...  
There's no escaping' it...  
Standing' out in a crowd.  
Standing' out in a crowd. 

The guitarist's final notes faded, as Tina bowed slightly... then the room broke into applause, Mike getting up and walking over to give Tina a hug to congratulate her, murmuring in her ear how amazing she was. Will rose from his seat, moving to congratulate Tina once her boyfriend had returned to his seat.

"Brilliant Tina. It really seemed to express your emotions well as well as delving into your own personal experiences. Great work!" She smiled in thanks, before returning to her seat. "Okay so next?" He noticed how Brittany's hand seemed to shoot into the air; much like Rachel's had earlier on in the session. Curiosity got the better of him as he invited the blonde to perform her solo. "Okay Brit, Let's see what you've got."

The blonde nervously moved to the centre of the choir room, eyes briefly meeting Santana's before the blonde refocused her attention on her audience.

"Rachel actually helped me choose this... I'm not that great at saying things because I'm not really smart... but I thought maybe a song could say what I can't... how I feel without you." The room's eyes shifted to a shocked looking Latina as Brittany continued to speak. "So here goes. San, this one's for you." Her nod prompted the band to begin playing, causing Mercedes, Quinn and, surprisingly, Puck to recognise the song as the blonde began to sing.

_Seems like just yesterday, you were a part of me_

_I used to stand so tall, I used to be so strong_

_Your arms around me tight, everything it felt so right_

_Unbreakable, like nothing could go wrong_

Santana's eyes were filled with guilt as she took in the hurt, vulnerable look on the blonde's face. This was all her fault. Her and her stupid fear... it was breaking both her and Brittany's hearts.

_Now I can't breathe, no I can't sleep_

_I'm barely hanging on_

_Here I am, once again_

_I'm torn into pieces, can't deny it, can't pretend_

_Just thought you were the one_

_Broken up, deep inside_

_But you won't get to see the tears I cry_

_Behind these hazel eyes_

The blonde was practically on the verge of tears as she sang, causing both Kurt and Sam to offer looks of sympathy, the former deciding to have a word with Santana about this... there was no way he was letting Brit get hurt like this when he _knew _that the Latina loved her.

_I told you everything, opened up and let you in_

_You made me feel alright, for once in my life_

_Now all that's left of me is what I pretend to be_

_So together, but so broken up inside_

Kurt's eyes strayed over to where Sam was sitting. He was surprised to see the blonde staring back, eyes shining slightly as if the blonde were on the verge of tears... the soprano found he could relate, choking up slightly as he forced his eyes back to the performance and away from the jock who still had so much of an effect on him, it was more than a little overwhelming.

_Cause I can't breathe, no I can't sleep_

_I'm barely hanging on_

Sam watched as the soprano turned away, his eyes moving to meet Brit's briefly, offering her a sad smile as he considered how much those two lines of the song related to both of them.

_Here I am, once again_

_I'm torn into pieces, can't deny it, can't pretend_

_Just thought you were the one_

_Broken up, deep inside_

_But you won't get to see the tears I cry_

_Behind these hazel eyes_

_Swallow me, then spit me out_

_For hating you, I blame myself_

_Seeing you, it kills me now_

_No, I don't cry on the outside anymore_

_Anymore_

The blonde moved to sing directly to an incredibly emotional Santana who looked like she wanted to draw the cheerio into a hug and whispered broken apologies to her in order to fix things between them. None of the Glee club had ever seen the Latina so vulnerable than when the blonde turned away from her on the word 'anymore'... she looked crushed.

_Here I am, once again_

_I'm torn into pieces, can't deny it, can't pretend_

_Just thought you were the one_

_Broken up, deep inside_

_But you won't get to see the tears I cry_

_Behind these hazel eyes_

_Here I am, once again_

_I'm torn into pieces, can't deny it, can't pretend_

_Just thought you were the one_

_Broken up, deep inside_

_But you won't get to see the tears I cry_

_Behind these hazel eyes_

The song came to a finish, the room immediately filling with the loudest round of applause so far. However Brit remained oblivious to this, her eyes meeting the Latina's once more, before the blonde tore out of the room, faint sobs echoing across the hallways as she fled. Immediately, Santana moved to follow her but was held back by Mercedes who shook her head at the cheerio. Rachel and Kurt exchanged looks before hurrying after the blonde, leaving the rest of the group in an awkward silence until Will chose to speak up.

"Okay... well that's all we've got time for today! I look forward to hearing more of these solos next week. I'll warn you though, after the performances today, the bar is set pretty high so I'm expecting some pretty impressive numbers." He smiled slightly. "It's important to remember that music is all about expressing yourself through song. It's a valuable lesson to learn to channel your emotions into your music." He paused for a moment. "I hope it's something you all bear in mind when choosing your solos. Alright, see you all next week!"

Tina and Mercedes were the first out of the room, phones out as they began to text Rachel and Kurt asking for details on how Brit was doing, closely followed by Will as he grabbed the sheet music from the piano and headed towards his car. Behind them, Mike, Finn and Artie chatted about the last game McKinley had played in, laughing slightly at a joke Artie made as the three voices faded into the distance. The 'not so happy couple' were next to exit the room, animatedly discussing something in hushed voices and causing those who still remained to observe the pair in confusion. They barely noticed the sympathetic look that a certain Latina gave to Sam, or the look of longing given to a certain ex-cheerio by a certain jock, lost in their own little world. Santana took a brief glance at Puck, offering him a similar look of sympathy before slipping out of the choir room.

Alone, Puck let out a sigh, pulling out his guitar and strumming a few notes before he messed up. Letting out a louder sigh of frustration he gave up, setting the guitar aside. _Even since Quinn and that asshole started dating, I can't even play a few chords right. Not without thinking of her, of how much I hate him, about how I feel betrayed by both of them... I can't play without feeling angry, or jealous... or broken. It's like my emotions have taken over and I'm just their puppet, doing as they please... no control. _He ran a hand across his face as he tried to calm himself. _You need to get a grip already Puckerman. Sitting here and whining like some little baby about how you wish she'd notice you won't change anything! You want her? You need to damn well fight for her! Take action! Do something!... But what?_ His eyes flickered back to the guitar beside him._ Could it really be that simple? Well... Mr Shue did say we should express ourselves through music..._ He let a small smile spread across his face as he began to think of song ideas, feeling the hope that had sparked when his eyes had met Quinn's, the day she and Sam had begun dating, ignite into determination and courage. His hands picked up the guitar again from where he'd left it and he began to play... for once he didn't mess up.

GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_HEVANS_GLEE_KURT_SAM_GLEE_

Kurt and Brittany sat side by side on the grass outside McKinley High, the blonde still looking fairly dejected as the pair talked about a certain cheerio. Rachel had left moments ago at the sound of her phone going off, leaving the two to talk alone.

"I just feel like maybe I should just give up. This hurts too much..." Kurt gently placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder, meeting her eyes as he replied.

"I know Brit, I know it hurts. But Santana loves you, I know she does... she's just scared. I can't really blame her, coming out wasn't easy for me and I was practically born out of the closet." He smiled bitterly, remembering a similar jibe from Azimo in the past. "She'll get over it though; she looked just as heartbroken as you did during that performance. Just don't lose faith... okay?" The blonde nodded, still failing to smile.

"But what about you and Sam then?" the counter tenor quirked an eyebrow in confusion.

"What do you mean Brit?"

"You said Santana's scared of coming out of the closet... which I don't really understand since it's pretty dark in there if you shut the door and it must be quite lonely so surely it's less scary on the outside... but if she's scared, Sam could be too." Kurt smiled fondly at the blonde's musings.

"Sam's not gay Brit. It's a fact that's become pretty obvious since he started dating Quinn..."

"But me and San dated guys, and you and I dated last year... you had really soft hands, baby hands." She smiled slightly. "I don't know about San, but I never really liked those guys, and you and me didn't work because you're a dolphin... I think Sam's your dolphin Kurt." In any other situation, the brunette would probably have laughed at those words, but since they were from Brit he just smiled slightly.

"I really wish I could believe you Brit, I really do."

"Well you should, because he never looks at Quinn the way he looks at you... and when he smiles a real smile, it's only ever for you." Kurt looked at the blonde, surprise colouring his features as his mind began to race.

_Could Brit really be right about this? I never even considered that Sam might still be gay, or in fact bi, if he was dating Quinn. Why did I never consider that?_ He mentally berated himself for this as his mind continued to explore this new hope that the blonde beside him had given him._ It would make more sense if he was though... especially after the Breadstix incident. He almost comes out to me, so he's scared and starts to doubt things... he stays away from me in order to figure things out and come to terms with himself and... But something still doesn't add up. Why is he dating Quinn? Is he using her as a cover? Does she know about this? Who asked who out? And when did it happen?_

_Why have I never bothered to find any of this out before? Maybe because I've been trying to distance myself from him? Well no more. I need to know where I stand with Sam once and for all... and I miss him. He was my best friend before this mess; and whether or not my feelings are requited I need him in my life... and if best friend is the best I can have; I'll, reluctantly, take it. Besides, if I'm right about his sexuality, then he needs me just as much as I need him right now. He needs people to help him, support him, give him advice... not people who cut him out of their lives, ignore him and cause him to doubt himself even more..._

_I'll talk to him tomorrow. Apologise for the way I've treated him recently. Hopefully he'll forgive me, maybe he'll even trust me enough to tell me his secret... I could help him come to terms with himself... No matter what though, I'll be there for him. He needs that kind of stability in his life right now when everything else seems to be changing..._

His gaze flickered back to a the blonde cheerio sat beside him as he offered her a warm smile that she weakly returned. _I'll have to talk to Santana too... she's lucky after all. She's in love with someone who loves her back... I'll be damned if I will let her miss out on that love due to fear._

**A/N: So what did you all think of the chapter? I hope you enjoyed it! What did you think of Rachel, Tina and Brittany's songs? For Brit's song, I know she doesn't actually have hazel eyes; I just love the song and felt that the rest of it related really well to the situation... I did consider editing the word hazel but in the end I figured it wasn't worth it... just pretend for a few moments that Brit's eyes are hazel. Also, does anyone have any guesses as to what the other Glee club members are going to sing? I'd love to hear your theories.**

**Secondly, a huge apology not only for the late update, but for the gap I'm going to have to take after this chapter for posting this story! I really am sorry and promise that I am NOT going to abandon this story (I could never! I love it far too much) but I unfortunately will need to take a bit of time out since I really don't have the time to produce chapters worthy of such incredible readers right now- I hope you can all forgive me and will stick with me so that when I return, you'll still all be reading (and hopefully enjoying) this story... I will warn you though; it could be a long wait (at the latest, I'll be back in July... at the very latest, but I thought I should warn you all the same). I really am sorry, you have no idea how much this breaks my heart.**

**Moving on to a different topic entirely... I loved seeing a bit more of Sam's back story in 'Rumours'. It was great seeing him beginning to befriend Kurt (and re-befriend Quinn as I always thought those two would make better friends than boyfriend/girlfriend). And how adorable was he with his brother and sister? I guess this means my version of Sam's family is **_**way**_** off in comparison to cannon Glee... still I think I strayed from cannon Glee long ago with this story. :D**

**Anyway, back to the point I was making, I loved seeing a bit more of Sam in the last episode... also am I alone in having the 'fondue for two' theme on loop in my head? It's weirdly catchy. Santana's 'Songbird' was also a highlight, I will never tire of saying how stunning Naya's voice is- probably the best song (for me) of the episode, possibly tied with 'Go Your Own Way'.**

**On another note, I felt slightly disappointed with the April Rhodes plotline... not to say that Kristin wasn't brilliant (she's always amazing in whatever she does) I just felt like her plotline in this episode could have been a bit more developed than it was... it was a shame really since it did hold a lot of promise, but she just didn't get the screen time she deserved. And my heart broke for Artie in this episode... but he should have **_**never **_**called Brittany stupid! In the end, he brought their break-up on himself... but I do still feel bad for him, especially considering what happened before with Tina... poor Artie.**

**Now, onto a more positive note... the promo for 'Prom Queen'... *jaw drops*. I literally don't have the words to express my excitement about this episode (it's like 'Born This Way' all over again). The only downside... 'Friday'... Why Glee, just why? But ignoring that, there's one thing in particular that I'm so excited about... JESSE ST JAMES IS BACK! I've been waiting for this moment ever since 'Funk' (since I **_**know**_** there's more to his story then we've seen on Glee so far, I'm looking forward to the show exploring that... it's gonna be great!).**

**On that note, all that's left to say is; Thank you so much for reading this, it really means the world to me that you're all enjoying this so far, I hope that I can continue to make this a story worthy of such amazing readers when I'm able to continue this story! Thanks again!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**


	24. Brit Was Right

**A/N: Hi everyone I'm back! Okay firstly I owe you all a HUGE apology for the wait between chapters! I am **_**so**_** sorry for how long it's been! Life's been pretty complicated lately and unfortunately it prevented me from finishing this chapter sooner but I'm back now and I promise to never make you all wait this long for another update again! I missed you and this story far too much to ever leave the gap between updates this long in future!**

**Secondly can I just say THANKYOU SO MUCH to everyone who's started reading this story during my long hiatus and to everyone who has stuck with this story throughout that time- I love you all so much for your support- **_**you**_** are the reason that I finally managed to finish this chapter, **_**you**_** are my inspiration and that means more than words can say so thank you for that.**

**Thirdly can I just say an extra special thank you to the following; **_**RoseBelikov'at', sassy selena, CrimsynLies, valjanex, JustAStrangerPassingBy, sydg813, CantBuyLoveRentIt, KennyIsOrange, Thenumberonefemalediva, Kuro Garyuu **_**and **_**CakesInTheSummer **_**for their lovely reviews, they really helped me stay focussed on finally getting this chapter posted!**

**Fourthly, I now (finally) have a tumblr so feel free to check it out! I'm Chasing Aspirations-Chasing Dreams (check out my profile for the link). I'm planning on posting all the chapter of this story and will also be willing to answer any questions you lot have about this story, it's possible sequel, the characters etc.- just drop any questions in my ask box. I'll also probably post some hints on there on what's to come in this story so feel free to check it out (and let me know if you do!).**

**Fifthly (such a long A/N... sorry about that), in regard to the possible sequel- I'm not sure whether or not I should write it so I've decided to leave it up to you, my lovely readers, to decide. There's a poll on my profile where you can vote on whether or not you'd like to see the sequel or not so let me know what you think- If I get enough votes telling me to write it then I promise you that I will (I already have ideas!).**

**And finally, just thank you. For reading, for alerting, for favouriting, for reviewing, for deciding to click on the story marked; I Will Repay You- I can never thank you enough for the confidence and joy you've given me. With no further ado, I present the longest ever chapter of I Will Repay You (over 10,000 words... how did I even begin to manage that?). I hope it was worth the wait! Enjoy!**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**

Santana stood by a certain blonde cheerio's locker, eyes scanning the floods of students swarming in through the entrance of the school, anxiously waiting for the owner of the locker to arrive. Ever since Brittany had sung that song in Glee club, all the Latina had been able to think about was her, the look of pain on her face before she'd run out of the choir room, the ragged pain in her voice, the unshed tears in her eyes while she sang... nothing had ever made Santana feel more vulnerable and broken than that one song had... because it had meant that _she_, Santana Lopez, was breaking Brittany's heart. And that, in her eyes, was unforgivable. _Why do I let other people affect me so much? Most of them are just whiney little losers and Brit's so much more than that. She's amazing, she's special, she's... and I hurt her. I HATE this stupid fear!... and I think I love her._

The cheerio was broken from her musing by the sight of a certain blonde making her way to the locker which Santana currently blocked. The Latina moved, offering a watery smile when the blonde's eyes met hers. "Hey Brit." Her voice sounded weak and emotional but for once, she couldn't bring herself to care all that much, her attention was fully focussed on the still silent blonde who looked like she was about to burst into tears. "Please talk to me."

"I can't." And Santana felt her heart shatter.

"Why?"

"It hurts too much. Seeing you, talking to you... it gives me hope. But then I say something wrong and you get mad and I can't... live with that anymore. I'm sorry San but I... love you too much. I just can't... I..." tears began to form at the blonde cheerio's eyes as she spoke causing the Latina to break further at the thought that _she _was the cause of this. She remained frozen in place as the blonde raced along the corridor and away from her, not even noticing her still open locker.

As the Latina's eyes turned from the spot where she'd last seen the blonde and back to said blonde's open locker, her breath caught in her chest slightly as she spotted a small collage that the blonde had made on the inside of her locker. It was made up of what appeared to be hundreds of tiny pictures of them. She smiled sadly as her eyes studied the images of the pair of them smiling and laughing together... there were even a few of them kissing (Santana had no idea when those had been taken) among the array of pictures scattered across the locker.

One picture in particular caught the Latina's gaze... it was a picture she remembered being taken on her first day at pre-school, years ago. She remembered being so scared of everyone when she'd arrived, that's why she'd adopted the persona she had now of 'scary bitch' and 'head cheerio' because she'd felt a need to make others fear her, because that way she figured she'd be a lot less scared of them... but she'd never wanted to scare off Brittany. She'd always been different in the Latina's eyes.

She remembered she'd been sitting in a corner crying, because Azimo and Hunter wouldn't stop teasing her, when she'd felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, and there in front of her had been her angel; _Brittany Pierce_. She'd held Santana while she'd cried before inviting her to play with her and another blonde girl called Quinn Fabray and, despite her fear, she'd agreed because somehow Brittany made her feel braver because somehow she knew that the blonde would protect her. Later on, Quinn's parents had arrived and her mom had brought a camera to take pictures of 'their little Quinny's first day' and she'd been more than happy to take a few pictures of Brittany and Santana as well. The picture that was stuck in the middle of the blonde's locker, framed by other pictures of the pair was probably Santana's favourite as it showed her and Brittany grinning at each other from behind where Quinn stood beaming at the camera. She loved the picture because even then she saw the love in her eyes when she looked at Brit and the same love in the blonde's eyes reflected back- even then they'd had a connection... they just didn't know what it was back then.

Standing in front of that picture years later Santana couldn't help but think her younger self had been a lot smarter than her older self was. It was only later that she'd allowed others to begin to influence her, bringing back her fear and allowing them to slowly drive her and Brit apart until the blonde couldn't 'live with that anymore'. As the Latina gently shut the blonde's locker, she couldn't help but think that she didn't blame her. _I did this. I drove her away from me. This is all my fault... I'm sorry Brit. I'm so, so sorry._

HEY_I'M_BACK_EVERYONE_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEVANS_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEAVANS_GLEE_HEVANS

Further along the corridor, Kurt's mind was racing as he considered what to say when he saw a certain blonde jock. _I can't make it too obvious that I think he might be... batting for the other team because firstly, I might be wrong and that would completely ruin our friendship and secondly, if I am right I don't want to scare him off. The whole point in this is that he'll know that I'm there for him if he needs to talk to someone about it, I don't want him to think I'll try and force him out of the closet. I wouldn't even do that to..._ He shuddered slightly as he tried not to think of a certain Neanderthal who was still currently suspended from McKinley high. He dreaded the jock's return even more considering his recent distance with Sam. And the nightmares he'd had after the... incident, had started to return after a threat that Hunter had made a few days ago reminding Kurt that in just a month and a half, Karofsky would be roaming the halls once more. He shook his head slightly, trying to clear his head of those thoughts as his mind once again returned to the blonde jock.

_All Sam needs right now is a friend to stand by him and show him the support he needs. I just need to give him time and eventually if he is that way inclined he'll tell me... after all we're 'best friends'... even if lately I haven't been acting like we are._ Kurt frowned slightly at the thought of only being Sam's best friend, but quickly shook the thought from his mind as said blonde jock appeared, weaving through the crowds of students to where Kurt was stood and grinning at him when he spotted him.

"Hey Kurt."

"Hey Sam. Sorry for rushing off yesterday when Quinn came along I..."

"No it's my fault. I know she's my girlfriend, but you're my best friend and I shouldn't have blown you off the way I have been since we started dating. It was wrong of me and I'm sorry Kurt." Apart from the wince he had to hide at the mention of Sam's 'girlfriend', Kurt couldn't help but smile at the blonde's words, said smile only widening when the jock grinned even wider in reply.

"You're forgiven. After all, you're my best friend too." He didn't notice Sam's similar wince at the term, too focused on repairing his relationship with the blonde. "And I think we know there's blame to share in the distance we've had between us for the last few days... I meant what I said yesterday before Quinn came along though, I've missed you."

"I've missed you too Kurt. We used to hang out almost every day and I've missed that... how about we hang out tonight?" He noted Kurt's slightly shocked expression and quickly added. "If you haven't got other plans of course, I understand if you do."

"No. I think I'd like that." Their eyes met and Kurt could feel the sparks flying between them, as cliché as that sounded.

"Cool."The pair stood there just grinning at each other for a few minutes before Sam pulled Kurt into a hug, much like the hug they'd shared the day before. The blonde clung to the brunette almost desperately, trying to convey just how much he needed him through his embrace and leaving Kurt a little bit breathless as a result. "I'll see you tonight then? We can watch a couple of movies and just catch up." Sam said as he reluctantly pulled away from their hug, leaving Kurt also feeling slightly disappointed.

"Yeah. That sounds perfect." They grinned at each other one more time before the telltale sounds of Mercedes and Tina's arrival began to echo down the halls. "I'll see you later then... bye Sam." The brunette gave a small wave before walking over to join the two girls with a smile that neither had seen on his face since the two blondes had started dating. Both girls internally breathed a sigh of relief as they linked their arms through Kurt's and strolled towards Tina's locker, Mercedes sending a grateful look over her shoulder to a widely grinning Sam who watched the three leave with a feeling of hope re-igniting inside his chest. Suddenly the day couldn't finish fast enough.

HEY_I'M_BACK_EVERYONE_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEVANS_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEAVANS_GLEE_HEVANS

"Hey Quinn!" Said blonde turned to where she heard her name being called, surprised but also secretly pleased to see Puck walking towards her with a slight grin on his face.

"Hi Puck. How are you?" The boy's smile seemed to grow wider at this simple statement, confusing the blonde slightly but she let it go, glad just to be in the mowhawked boy's company.

"Good thanks. Been busy working on football, Glee assignment... that stuff. And you?"

"Glee, school work, not much else really I guess. My parents mainly want to focus on my studies this year so..." Puck titled his head slightly in confusion, remembering very clearly the night that Quinn had been kicked out of her home by her father. He doubted he'd ever forget the guilt he felt when he heard the news, the frustration that after all of that, the blonde ex-cheerio _still_ wouldn't let him support her, wouldn't even _consider_ it. The anger that he couldn't do _anything_ to help her, the pain of _knowing_ that he wasn't good enough... he quickly fought to control his emotions, knowing that right now he needed to focus on the more important issues, _Quinn's _issues, instead of his own.

"You and your dad are talking again then?"

"Sort of... it's complicated really. But at least he's trying... I don't think our relationship's ever going to be the same but... he's trying." Quinn bit her bottom lip in an attempt to suppress the emotions she could feel bubbling up inside her. The feelings of hurt, betrayal and loss she'd felt when her own father had turned his back on her when she'd needed him most. She failed to notice the concerned look on Puck's face as she did, lost in her own thoughts, making her jump slightly when the jock spoke once more.

"I suppose. You okay?"

"Yeah. I just... sometimes I feel like I'm getting over what happened last year, like I've put it all behind me... but I haven't. I haven't at all."Puck pulled the ex-cheerio into a hug, rubbing her back gently as he tried to comfort her. It seemed to help as the blonde's breathing calmed down as she relaxed into the embrace.

"No one expects you to have moved on so fast Quinn; going through shit like that... it sucks. And you're amazing for moving on the way you have but it's okay if you haven't... It won't make me or any of the others in Glee judge you." The blonde pulled back with a sad smile.

"I don't know what I did to deserve your friendship Puck. I treated you like nothing last year, choosing Finn over you, pretending the baby was his... and I'm sorry for that, I really am. Because I was wrong, you would've looked after me and Beth and I'm sorry for doubting that... and I'm sorry for doubting you." She reached out to take one of the jock's hands within her own and gave it a light squeeze. "As I said before I don't know what I did to deserve your friendship but I'm so grateful for it all the same. Thanks."

"No problem. And you were right to do things the way you did last year. Finn would have made a better dad." Quinn shook her head causing Puck to smile at her actions but he continued. "No he would have because I was an ass back then. We both know that. Hell I sexted Santana while we were babysitting together... I'm trying to change that now but that still doesn't change the fact that I was a total douche bag to you last year. You did the right thing by trying to give that baby the best dad you could. Don't doubt yourself. Okay?" The pair's eyes met, both grinning stupidly at each other but for once not caring about how they must look to others.

They didn't even notice a certain blonde jock walking towards them until he placed a hand on Quinn's shoulder, dragging the pair back to reality where Sam and Quinn were 'dating' and Puck was alone. Before Puck could even say a proper goodbye, the blonde couple were walking away, already deep in conversation about some unknown topic. Puck couldn't help but feel a sudden rush of happiness though when Quinn broke from the conversation for a moment to turn her head back to where Puck stood and offer him a bright smile that seemed to light up the ex-cheerio's face to the point where it seemed she was glowing.

And Puck found himself standing in the corridor in awe of that smile long after the couple had walked away, considering how beautiful it made the blonde look. _Almost like an angel_, he mused. _So perfect, so amazing... so out of my league_. But at the same time, a part of Puck's mind couldn't help but note, with a certain sense of smugness, that Quinn had never used that smile with Finn or Sam or any of her other boyfriends... she'd only used it for him... that had to mean something. Didn't it?

HEY_I'M_BACK_EVERYONE_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEVANS_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEAVANS_GLEE_HEVANS

Mercedes sighed as she flicked through another list of possible songs for the Glee assignment, quickly crossing each one off as she decided it was too repetitive, not bold enough, not _her_. At this rate she'd never find a damn song for Glee club... but she was determined not to give up just yet. She was sure there must be something out there that expressed her as an individual... _but what?_

She was drawn out of her train of thought as she spotted a lone figure sat on the bleachers, head hung low and body shivering slightly due to the cold wind shifting across the field. As the diva drew closer she recognised the Latina sat by herself, eyebrows rising when she heard the sound of sobs echoing towards her.

"Santana?"

"What do _you_ want Aretha?" Mercedes sympathetic expression hardened slightly at the cheerio's words as she took a seat next to her.

"You really want to know what _I_ want? I want all of my friends to stop acting like complete fools when it's obvious that they belong together. I want to see Sam and Kurt smiling again, Puck and Quinn holding hands in the halls and you and Brittany..." She noted the Latina's slight wince at the sound of the blonde cheerio's name. "Finally becoming a proper couple because she deserves that Santana... and so do you."

"You think I don't know that she deserves that? I'm not an idiot. She's always deserved better. Better than this world that'll judge so easily two people in love, better than this friend who refuses to become more because she's scared... I know she deserves so much better than me."

"I didn't say that..."

"Yeah but you thought it right?" Mercedes slightly guilty expression confirmed the cheerio's thoughts, causing her to offer a slightly bitter smile. "It's fine. I know everyone thinks I'm a total bitch. Brit was the only one who ever disagreed with that... and now she won't even talk to me. So yeah, everyone thinks I'm a bitch and maybe I am... but at least I'm honest about what I feel..."

"If that's true then why is Brittany heartbroken? Look Santana, if you want her back, you're gonna have to do a lot more than just 'talk'. You're gonna have to fight to win back her trust, and her love. At the very least apologise. Because what she really deserves is to be with the person she loves, and whether or not _you _deserve_ her,_ it's_ you_ she loves." And with that Mercedes left the girl to consider her words, praying that maybe at least one of her friends would finally get the happy ending they deserved.

HEY_I'M_BACK_EVERYONE_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEVANS_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEAVANS_GLEE_HEVANS

Rachel found her attention drifting away from the conversation she was having with Finn about song ideas for Sectionals when she saw a certain pair of blondes walk towards them, watching as Quinn walked away leaving Sam standing by his locker with a look of... was it hope sparking in his eyes? _Maybe I was wrong to doubt Quinn's plan after all... but given what happened last time she planned something I can hardly be blamed for assuming the worst... I'm glad I was wrong though. It's nice to see Sam smiling for a change._

She grinned as the blonde turned to wave at her before making a beckoning gesture and turning back to his locker to grab the books he needed. Turning back to her boyfriend who was currently suggesting possible music choices for the group number with such a large amount of enthusiasm that Rachel couldn't help but feel guilty that she hadn't heard a single word of what she was sure would be a great idea. Vowing to herself that she'd make it up to him later, she offered Finn a quick smile before kissing the boy on the cheek and telling him she'd see him later. She then rushed over to where Sam waited, excitement seeming to radiate from where he stood to the point where the blonde was almost bouncing on the balls of his feet. _It really is an amazing thing just how much of an effect Kurt has on him... and him on Kurt. I really hope they _are_ working things out. I don't think I could forgive Quinn if she messed things up for them again._

Lost in her own thoughts and then her conversation with Sam, she didn't even realise the confused and slightly angry look that had appeared on her boyfriend's face as he watched the pair. _Why the hell is she talking to that jerk? She knows exactly what he's done to Kurt! I mean I'm not the brightest of guys but I know feelings and I _know _how much he hurt Kurt with his actions... I've never seen him so upset... not ever._

_All those years of jocks pushing him around and not once did he cry... well except with Karofsky but what he did was _way_ out of line so no one blames him there... but how can one guy hurt him so much after putting up with all that? And why did he hurt him? Everyone knows he likes Kurt not Quinn so why is he dating her? He seemed like a nice guy... how did he become such a dick?_ Finn frowned as he watched the pair walk off, still deep in discussion, oblivious to the pair of eyes currently glaring daggers into the blonde's back.

_I hate this! I hate seeing him talk as if nothing's wrong while Kurt's so torn up over him! It's not fair! He already has to fight so hard for everything, solos, respect... that kind of stuff. Why can't someone up there just give him a break for once? He's a good guy, a good friend, a good brother... hell he's my little bro, I'm meant to be looking out for him. And I can try to protect him from the physical stuff like dumpster dives but... this emotional stuff... I can't do anything and I HATE that! He doesn't deserve this shit... not at all._

Finn shook his head, trying to clear it as he turned to his own, still open locker, and slammed in shut, venting some of the frustration he felt over his kind of awesome step brother and a certain blonde jock. It helped... a little... except for the slight pain Finn could now feel throbbing at the point where his hand had met the locker... he could deal with it though, he'd had worse. Turning to walk through the corridors, he made a resolve to confront Rachel about her conversation with Sam later, choosing instead to focus on the totally awesome (yes his girlfriend had made him watch the musical she'd sung her solo from... it was actually pretty cool) idea he'd had for his song choice for the Glee assignment.

HEY_I'M_BACK_EVERYONE_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEVANS_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEAVANS_GLEE_HEVANS

"Hey Santana!" The Latina turned at the sound of her name to meet the eyes of a certain counter tenor, sighing as she saw the determination lurking in their depths and bracing herself for another confrontation she wasn't ready to deal with... the pain was just too _raw._

"If you're here to lecture me about Brit then you can save it Hummel, because Aretha beat you to it..."

"If that's the case then why haven't you already apologised to her?" Kurt looked genuinely confused as he spoke causing Santana to feel increasingly frustrated at how clueless her fellow Glee club members were.

"Because I can't!" Kurt studied the girl in front of him more closely, noting the tear tracks starting to form across her cheeks as she spoke. "You want to know why this all happened in the first place? Because I was scared okay? I was scared and I screwed up and now she won't talk to me so save the lecture because I already feel like shit." The soprano moved to place a hand of comfort on the Latina's shoulder which she quickly shook off, not wanting to seem any more vulnerable than she felt she already was as she tried to compose herself and will the tears spilling over to stop falling as she took a couple of calming breaths. There were a few moments of silence before Kurt spoke again.

"Then why don't you fix it? Why don't you apologise? You know she'd forgive you Santana. She loves you." Santana's eyes met his once again and he could see the conflict raging in them, but it was quickly replaced by anger as she replied.

"Yeah and she shouldn't love me. Like I told Aretha she deserves better. What's the point in me apologising if I'll only let her down again a few weeks later when she wants to come out or something? I _can't _do that. I'm too scared. I just... You wouldn't understand..."

"You think I wouldn't understand what you're going through? Do you honestly think I wasn't scared when I came out?" Santana rolled her eyes causing a feeling of rage starting to form within the soprano as the female cheerio spoke.

"You were _born _out Hummel. It's hardly the same." The sudden anger burning in the counter tenor's eyes was the only warning Santana got before Kurt began to reply.

"What are you even saying? You think that made things easier? You've got to be... no, you know what it isn't the same. We're not going through the same things and you wanna know why? Because you're being an idiot." Santana's eyes widened at the angry tone the soprano's voice had taken, but she was cut off from saying anything in reply as Kurt continued. "Because you know what? You are _so_ lucky Santana. _So _lucky. Because she _loves _you." Kurt's eyes began to calm slightly as he let out a sad sigh at the thought of a certain blonde jock. "She loves you, and you love her. You love each other... that's something special... That's something most people would kill for... So why are you wasting it?"

Santana moved to speak once more but Kurt raised a hand to cut her off. "And don't say fear, because that's a stupid reason okay? Well maybe not stupid but it's something that everyone has to face at some point okay? And yes, coming out isn't easy... but it's worth it because living a lie is _so _much worse... Because you're not just lying to everyone else about how you feel, you're lying to yourself." Their eyes met for a moment before Santana's moved to study the floor.

"I was terrified when I came out to my dad you know? But in the end, he supported me and after that things got easier because I knew I'd have at least one person I could rely on if everything went to hell... you've already got that. You've got Brit... and you've got me. And we'll both stand by you no matter what. And you know the Glee club will too... so go for it." He offered her a smile which after a couple of seconds she returned it, albeit weakly. There were a few moments of silence where Santana seemed to consider his words.

"I know you're scared Santana, but if it wins Brit back... isn't it worth it? Worth that fear? Because I think you're more scared of losing her than you are of this... just think about it." The Latina nodded slightly, making Kurt unsure as to whether or not he'd actually seen the movement or not.

"I'll think about it Hummel... and thanks." He just offered her another gentle smile before turning to walk away down the halls but just before he moved out of earshot, he could have sworn he heard "And you're lucky too Hummel, luckier than you realise."

HEY_I'M_BACK_EVERYONE_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEVANS_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEAVANS_GLEE_HEVANS

Rachel grinned as she watched Sam walk away feeling happier than she'd felt in a long time as her mind processed the conversation she'd just had. The moment they'd been out of earshot of Finn, the blonde had immediately turned to her with a huge grin and had proceeded to describe, in detail, his earlier encounter with a certain male soprano. His obvious excitement so infectious that she couldn't help but be swept up in it herself.

_I'm so glad that things between him and Kurt and finally starting to work out... it hurt to see them apart for this long. Everyone just got so used to seeing them together... I think most people already started seeing them as 'Sam and Kurt' instead of just Sam or just Kurt... if only he'd known that before we could have avoided all of this... but I guess there's no point in thinking that way. No one can change the past... no matter how much we want to sometimes... _A certain curly haired teen briefly flickered through her mind followed by the face of a certain show choir director... but she quickly banished these images from her mind as she allowed her thoughts to return to her friends once more.

_It really is amazing though, just how much those two affect each other... I think the thing that hurt Sam more than anything through all of this was that Kurt was hurting and it was only when he managed to fix things, at least on some level, that he was able to smile again... it's like they feel each other's pain, each others suffering... there's this incredible bond between them. I don't know how it formed so quickly but it's like when they first met they just 'slotted' together like two halves of one whole...and from that moment on, neither could be complete without the other...I guess they really are soul mates. _Her grin widened as she spotted a certain counter tenor moving through the hallways with a similar happy smile on his face, eyes once more filled with life instead of that eerie emptiness that had once resided in their depths.

_I'm really glad I was wrong about Quinn this time... I just hope, whatever her plan is, it continues to work... I don't think either of them could go through that pain again..._ She shuddered as she remembered the broken look on Kurt's face; empty eyes staring past her like she wasn't even there... it still haunted her nightmares sometimes.

Thankfully, she was snapped out of this train of thought by the sound of her boyfriend's voice calling her name from across the corridor. Turning to offer him a smile, she was surprised to see the concerned and slightly angry expression gracing her boyfriend's usually cheerful face.

"Finn? What's wrong?" He looked at her blankly before replying.

"Why were you talking to Sam earlier? After all he's put Kurt through? I thought Kurt was meant to be your friend..." Rachel's eyes narrowed at the insinuation before she cut him off angrily.

"Kurt is my friend; in fact he's probably the best friend I have. He understands me in a way no one else does, not even you. And yes, I care for him Finn. So how dare you even suggest otherwise." There was a moment of silence, the diva's words seeming to hang in the air between the couple, before her boyfriend's eyes turned apologetic, appeasing her slightly as he spoke.

"I know... I'm sorry; I'm just really worried about Kurt you know? I can't stop thinking about the day we all found out about Sam and Quinn and eyes were just... dead... and there was nothing I could do to fix it. I'm meant to protect him but I couldn't and... I hated that." Seeing the defeated look in the taller boy's eyes, Rachel placed a gentle hand on his arm, offering a sad smile when his eyes met hers once more.

"We all did Finn."

"And it's all that jerk's fault I mean... everyone knew Kurt liked him and he seemed to like Kurt too and then he just turns around and asks out Quinn? One of Kurt's closest friends it's just... and now he's just walking around with that stupid smile while Kurt's hurting and I... I hate him Rach." The smaller girl's eyes widened as she heard her boyfriend's words, realising that she had to tell him the truth before another fight broke out in the choir room... after all, they knew from experience how violent Finn could become when he felt betrayed by someone.

"Okay Finn you need to listen and trust me when I tell you this because every word is true okay... Sam's gay." Finn's expression barely changed. "You're not surprised."

"No. We all knew that he and Kurt liked each other, I just figured that maybe he was... bilingual?"

"Bisexual." She smiled a little despite herself at the slip up.

"Oh okay... but still, most people knew he liked Kurt which is why him and Quinn made no sense... it's like he wanted to hurt Kurt or something..."

"I assure you Finn he didn't. Sam really likes Kurt, in fact he loves him, and he's just... scared. And it can't be easy for him, coming out in a school like this. Everyone knows how the football team treated Kurt last year and after the incident with Karofsky..." She trailed off slightly as she noted how Finn's eyes darkened at the name.

"So he's done all this because he was scared?" Rachel nodded. "That's so _selfish_ I mean didn't he think about all the people he was hurting by doing this? What about Kurt's feelings? What about Puck's? He just... what the hell was he thinking?"

"I think Quinn did most of the thinking for him actually..."

"Quinn? You mean both of them planned _this_? And people call _me _stupid?" He took a couple of calming breaths as he realised that people were starting to stare at them. "So Quinn said that she'd pretend to date Sam so she could... what? Be his beard? Make Kurt and Puck jealous? Or it is something else equally as dumb?"

"I think it was a mix of the two but really Finn I don't think Sam was being rational at the time. I think he was letting the fear get to him and that influenced his decisions but I know he feels awful about everything and..."

"Good. He should feel awful. He's hurt a lot of people because of his 'fear'... it's just so weird I mean he did this because he was scared?" Rachel nodded once more, confused as to why Finn was asking her the same question as he had before. "Well isn't everyone?" The smaller girl's brow quirked slightly in confusion trying, and failing, to figure out the meaning to Finn's words and causing the taller boy to smile slightly at the... _Iron-y? Irony?_ ..._ At whatever that thing was called._

"What do you mean?"

"Well people are scared all the time yeah? Scared of spiders, snakes, darkness, the stage... but the point is we're all scared of something." Rachel smiled a bit at the last one realising that Finn had taken the term 'stage fright' a little bit more literally than most.

"But Finn this is different you know? I mean this fear's more _personal_. I mean you can avoid an animal if it scares you or carry around a flashlight but... he can't really hide from the verbal abuse those Neanderthals will give him once he's come out, he can't avoid the slushies or the looks people will give him in the hallways..." Finn seemed unaffected by this information as he interrupted his girlfriend's train of speech.

"But since when did hiding from your fears solve anything anyway? If you hide from your fears, that doesn't make them go away... they only get worse until you're too scared to ever face them... It's way better to just confront them because otherwise they just rule your life..." Rachel conceded that Finn might have a point but refrained from speaking as she sensed the taller boy wasn't quite finished yet. "And I get that he's scared of coming out... I mean I know I'll never really understand how that feels but I know it can't be easy facing all of that... but I don't think that's the only reason he's scared. Because I think he's probably more scared about Kurt not liking him than he is of coming out... which is stupid because everyone knows he does but... I think he's more scared to fall in love and get his heart broken." Finn gave a small wistful smile.

"Because of all the fears out there, falling in love with someone is probably the biggest because it's like... you lose control of yourself, nothing is okay unless that person's there and you would do anything for them, all they'd have to do is ask... and losing that control is just... scary as hell. Because there's always a risk that they won't love you back, that they'd use you or hurt you..." Finn frowned slightly as he remembered his painful relationship with Quinn, unaware that his girlfriend's mind was also wandering to a past flame with curly hair and a certain arrogant charm. "But loves all about taking risks isn't it? So, if Sam _really _loves Kurt, he needs to prove it, to take that risk because unless he finds that courage to tell him, and everyone else, how he feels... he doesn't deserve him."

"That's probably the most insightful thing I've ever heard you say." Her boyfriend just offered a goofy grin in reply, obviously feeling quite proud of his achievement. "And you're right, love is all about taking risks... and I think Sam's starting to realise that... which is why he's trying so hard to make things right between him and Kurt. Because he _does_ love him Finn." Their eyes met and she couldn't help but smile at the trust and adoration in his gaze. "And you know how I know this? Because him and Kurt... well they remind me of us when we first met. They just had this connection from the moment they first saw each other, just like we did. And I know things will work out between them because of how things worked out with us... because Finn you know I'd never use you or hurt you... I'll always love you Finn."

Said boy's smile widened at her words, pulling her into a warm hug as he murmured. "And I'll always love you too Rach. _Always_." They pulled apart, grinning slightly as they allowed themselves to fall into a companionable silence once more. The sound of the bell signalling the start of next period echoed through the hall alerting the pair to the need to get to class as the halls began to fill with students pushing and shoving through the crowds to reach their classes. Rachel lent forward to place a gentle kiss on her boyfriend's cheek before whispering.

"Please don't hate Sam for what he's done. Its fine to be mad, I understand that but please don't hate him... because Sam needs friend's right now. He's trying to be braver Finn but he needs to know we'll be there to support him or he won't be able to cope just... please. For me." He met her eyes and nodded.

"Thank you Finn. And just so you know, I don't think we'll have to wait too much longer for things to work about between them because I think Sam's braver than he realises... remember how he stood up to Karofsky?" Finn winced slightly at the unintentional reminder of his own lack of involvement in that confrontation but Rachel seemed oblivious to this as she continued to speak. "Well he wasn't scared then was he? He was willing to risk everything to protect Kurt because he _does _love him. And I know that, when it really matters, he'll show everyone just how much he cares about him." She offered Finn another smile before leaning forward and gently kissing him, smiling into the kiss as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. When they broke apart, a happy smile spread across the taller boy's face and a faint flush tinged the shorter diva's cheeks.

"I'll see you later then." Finn nodded, grinning at her once more before turning and rushing towards the science corridor leaving Rachel alone with her thoughts.

HEY_I'M_BACK_EVERYONE_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEVANS_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEAVANS_GLEE_HEVANS

Kurt gave Finn a warning look as he handed over the keys to his Navigator. "If I find one scratch on this car, you'll wake up one night missing a very important part of your anatomy." He smirked slightly at the horrified look in the taller jock's eyes. "See you later then." Finn just gave a shaky nod as he watched Kurt walk over to where Sam was waiting next to his own car with a big grin on his face. He sighed as he tried to squash down the feelings of anger that threatened to surface when he laid eyes on the blonde, reminding himself that Sam was trying to fix things so he should give him a chance to do that... and besides, Rachel would kill him if he attacked the blonde. So instead his distracted himself with thoughts of said diva as he climbed into the Navigator and drove away from McKinley.

HEY_I'M_BACK_EVERYONE_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEVANS_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEAVANS_GLEE_HEVANS

The journey to Sam's house was filled with conversations about their ideas for the latest Glee assignment (well Sam spoke about his ideas while Kurt told the blonde that his performance was going to be a surprise which meant that he couldn't tell the blonde beforehand, secretly Kurt still wasn't sure which song he was actually going to perform, the Glee assignment having taken a back seat in his mind to the Sam-Quinn drama), which songs they thought would be good for Sectionals (well Kurt suggested songs and Sam nodded along, not knowing what half of them were, but trusting Kurt's taste in music. He couldn't help but laugh when that then inspired a rant based on Mr Shue's limited amount of taste probably leading to another Journey melody at Sectionals) and just life in general since the two had last spoken to each other.

It amazed both boys how easy it was to talk to each other even after their distant, strained conversations over the last few days. There seemed to be an unspoken rule between them not to mention the reason for this distance, or a certain ex-cheerio as they talked and as their conversations continued and the two managed to relax into their old incredibly close friendship, the days since the two blondes started dating seemed to fade from both boy's minds, both of them grinning as they lost themselves in their own little world. Kurt imagining that Sam was still single, that the blonde's sexuality wasn't so confusing while Sam imagined that he wasn't so cowardly, that he'd never agreed to Quinn's so called master plan.

They were both reluctant to leave the car once they arrived at Sam's house, knowing that they'd have to face reality once they did. Sam internally sighed at the thought of facing his mum as he anticipated her overenthusiastic questions about how his relationship was going with Quinn. It was almost scary just how invested his mum was in their fake relationship, he desperately tried not to think of her reaction if she knew that it was a lie. He turned to offer a smile to the counter tenor beside him, grinning wider as the smile was returned. He'd missed that smile far too much over the last few days. He climbed out of the car, moving round to open Kurt's door with an over exaggerated gesture making said brunette laugh slightly at the blonde's actions.

"You're such a dork sometimes Sam."

"You know you love it." Sam quipped back not noticing the sudden pained look on the brunette's face as he considered the truth in the blonde's words. Sam shut the car door, jolting the brunette out of his train of thought, before reaching out and taking the brunette's hand as they walked towards his front door, both of them almost letting out audible sighs of relief as they basked in how _right _it felt, they'd both missed this over the last few days.

Sam reluctantly let go of the brunette's hand as he reached into his pocket, fishing out a key and opening the door. Kurt almost felt like he'd stepped back in time as he walked forward into a stylised and neat looking living room, greatly contrasting from the blonde who lived in it. Kurt's eyes studied the room, quickly noting that very little had changed from the last time he'd visited the house, years ago. The same perfectly white sofa stood to the right of the TV system, the same family portrait from when Sam was only six years old on the left, an entire shelf of books sitting below it filled with the many books that Sam's father indulged in reading. Kurt remembered that the man could very rarely be seen without a novel in hand when he'd come over to the blonde's house. Even the smell of Jennifer Evans' homemade cookies wafted through the hall as Sam turned to shut the door behind them, shrugging off his jacket and hanging it on the neat little rack next to the front door.

The blonde yelled to his mum that he was home and that he'd brought a friend over, snapping Kurt out of his weird sense of de ja vu as said woman appeared at the doorway of the kitchen, hair styled into tight curls that framed her face, warm smile making the woman seem almost angelic... except it didn't quite reach her eyes. She'd hardly changed at all; save for the slight creases beginning to form at the edge of each eye and the slightly less bold wardrobe that Kurt found he appreciated far more than some of the previous monstrosities the woman had worn. This style almost suited her... almost.

"So Sam. Who's this?" Sam quirked an eyebrow in confusion at his mother's words as he replied.

"Mum its Kurt. You know Kurt Hummel? The guy I was doing the Glee duet with?" The woman's eyes widened slightly as she replied.

"Kurt _Hummel_?" Both teens were confused by her tone of voice; however Sam assumed that she remembered Kurt just like he had, remembered the way he'd saved the blonde's life all those years ago so he gave her a grin and replied.

"Yeah, Kurt Hummel. The same one who saved my life, though he doesn't remember that. You remember him right?" The woman remained frozen for a couple more seconds before she seemed to snap out of her thoughts, offering Kurt another warm smile as she spoke. Her gaze, however, seemed to bore into him, making him feel slightly uncomfortable under her scrutiny.

"Of course I do. You two used to be best friends before we moved away."

"We still are. Your son's an amazing friend Mrs Evans." He offered her an uneasy smile not liking the way her gaze seemed to intensify at his words.

"Please Kurt, call me Jenny." Her words were friendly but there was something in her tone of voice that worried the brunette, all the same he offered her a small smile, replying that he would before Sam told his mum they were heading to his room and turned to leave, Kurt more than willing to follow him as he began to feel uneasy in the woman's gaze. Something about the way she observed him just made his skin crawl.

HEY_I'M_BACK_EVERYONE_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEVANS_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEAVANS_GLEE_HEVANS

Carefully taking a seat on the pristine sofa behind her, Jennifer Evans began to take deep calming breaths, trying to return her breathing to a normal rate as her mind begun to spin. _Kurt Hummel? Of all the Kurt's it had to be _him._ But of course it was him. How did I not realise this before? How did I not make this connection when Sammy started talking about Kurt and that Glee club of his? Hummel always did love singing. Sammy used to say he sounded like an 'angel', of all the things to call him... how did I allow this to happen I... _She realised she was starting to panic, so she forced herself to take a few more calming breaths as she thought to herself. _No Jennifer breathe. It's fine. Sam's fine. After all, Sammy's all grown up now. He's working hard in school, he's learned guitar, he's playing for the football team and he's dating that lovely blonde girl, Quinn... he's old enough not to make _those _mistakes anymore. You can trust him._ Her breathing calmed once more as she reasoned with herself, slowly slipping back into her flawless little world as she started to picture what her Sammy's children might look like if he stayed with the blonde. _They'll be stunning with her complexion. Perfect little children for our perfect family._ She let out a wistful sigh as dreamed of her perfect future, completely unaware that it would never become a reality.

HEY_I'M_BACK_EVERYONE_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEVANS_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEAVANS_GLEE_HEVANS

Kurt soon forgot about Jenny's unnerving gaze as his eyes began to study Sam's room, grinning slightly as he noted the Avatar poster and the piles of comic books littered across the blondes desk, he took a seat on the blonde's bed as the jock began to rummage through the unsteady looking pile of DVDs to the side of his wardrobe. His eyes wandered to the dresser by the side of the bed, eyes widening slightly as he noted the picture sitting on top of it.

It had been taken many years ago, long before Sam had moved away or before Kurt had lost his mum. Before McKinley, and the bullying, and the slushies... back when everything had been so simple. The picture showed the bright, happy faces of two young boys, one brunette and one blonde and both of them laughing together as they sprawled out on the grass. Kurt's smile widened as he noted the blonde's jacket lying beneath them as he remembered how his younger self had been worried about ruining his new outfit and the blonde had immediately sacrificed his jacket to make sure Kurt didn't have to worry about it. _Even then he was always looking out for me_. He turned to grin at the blonde who was now frowning at the collapsed tower of films, searching through them until he finally managed to find the one he was looking for.

He took a seat beside Kurt on the bed and handed the brunette the DVD causing the brunette's eyes to, once again, widen as he read the title.

"You bought RENT?" The blonde grinned at the brunette's confused tone before replying.

"Yeah. I remember you were talking about it at Breadstix and you said I had to see it so I went out and bought it... and I figured we could watch it together? It wouldn't feel right watching it without you." Kurt smiled at the blonde's words, flattered that he'd remembered their conversation at Breadstix and pleased that he'd waited to watch RENT with Kurt. His mind told him not to read too much into his words but that didn't stop his stomach from churning in a pleasant way, nor did it stop his face from flushing slightly as he nodded his agreement to watching the film, trying not to meet the blonde's eyes as it started to play.

About halfway through the film, Kurt realised that he wasn't the only one singing along to 'I'll Cover You' causing him to turn to Sam in confusion, pausing the DVD to make sure he didn't miss any of the film while he talked to the blonde.

"I thought you said you hadn't seen RENT?"

"I haven't but I've heard that song before... back at my old school they had a Glee club too, only I wasn't part of it there because it clashed with football... but anyway, I was walking past our choir room on the way to class and I heard these guys singing this song... and it was pretty amazing really. And for the rest of the day, I couldn't get that song out of my head so I googled it when I got home and just listened to it for a while. I never knew it was from this musical." Kurt allowed himself to smile a little at the thought of Sam listening to 'I'll cover you' and tried to ignore the way his heart fluttered as his mind pointed out that the one song that the blonde knew in the entire musical was the love duet between Angel and Collins. He quickly pressed play, trying to lose himself in the movie once more but as the couple kissed, Kurt mind couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to kiss his very own Collins, blushing as he felt the blonde's gaze on his face for a few moments before the jock turned back to the movie, hand reaching out to take the brunette's within his own as they both forced themselves to stare at the screen instead of each other.

Later during the reprise, kissing was the last thing of Kurt's mind as he found himself, once again, becoming caught up in the characters emotions, mourning with them as they said farewell to Angel and trying, in vain, to stop the inevitable tears from falling. The blonde beside him noted the tears with a look of concern and reached to pause the film, only stopping when the counter tenor squeezed his hand to get his attention and offering a shaky smile along with the admission that he could never watch this part without crying. The blonde gave a smile of his own at the brunette's words before turning his attention back to the screen. A few moments later, he found himself on the verge of tears as his mind began to imagine how it would feel if he was in Collins place and had lost... he couldn't even finish that train of thought. Life without Kurt would just be... _unbearable, pointless, empty..._

He was snapped out of his slightly depressing musings as he felt a certain brunette lean against him, his head lightly resting on the blonde's shoulder as the plot continued to play out on the screen in front of them. Sam found himself completely unable to focus on the film though as he basked in the feeling of being this close to Kurt after being so distant for the last few days, it made him appreciate the moment even more. Before he even realised what he was doing, his hand was letting go of the brunette's, arm moving to wrap around the counter tenor's waist causing the blonde to flush slightly when he realised what he'd done. Kurt's surprised but happy smile made the gesture well worth any embarrassment though. Sam couldn't help but be in awe of how the smile seemed to light up the brunette's face. _He looks so beautiful... like an angel._

The pair stayed like that for the rest of the movie, both turning to grin at each other at various points and Kurt singing along to almost every song, amazing Sam, as always, with the depth and beauty his voice held. By the end, Sam had to admit (out loud at his insistence), Kurt had been right, the musical had been incredible. He could only hope Kurt would like Avatar as much when he finally managed to persuade the brunette to watch it.

After that, the pair fell back into the comfortable pattern of talking about anything and everything, perfectly content to just sit and do nothing as long as they were in each other's company. About halfway into Kurt's explanation of exactly why 'fashion has no gender' Sam found his mind starting to wonder. He'd long since given up trying to figure out what the words Kurt was using actually meant and, instead, chose to listen to the soft calming tone of his voice, smiling as he noted how animated and passionate the brunette became as he spoke, stomach flipping at the intensity in his gaze as their eyes met. Eventually Kurt's words trailed off and yet the pair's eyes never broke contact, both seemingly transfixed by the depths of emotion contained in the glatz and green orbs.

_He's so amazing, his voice, his smile, the way he puts up with my Avatar obsession, his laugh, the way he spends hours (according to Finn) making sure his hair is flawless, the way it always is anyway, the way he understands fashion, the way he tries to make me understand it, the way that he becomes so intense when giving someone a makeover, the excited grin on his face during the makeover that makes me willing to go through it all again just to see him that happy, the way he makes me laugh, the way he knows cheesy catch phrases and laughs at mine, the way his voice sounds alongside mine, the way he's always honest with me, the way he always surprises me, the way he never gives up on anyone, the way he cares about the Glee club like they're his family, the way he never gives in, no matter what, the way he's always been my friend, even though I don't deserve it... he's just, amazing. _

He continued to look at the brunette in awe, mind continuing to race as he found himself lost in the soprano's eyes. _He's perfect, he always has been, he always will be... what would be see in someone like me? I'm nothing special. I'm just this idiot jock who's so scared of coming out of the closet that he hurt the guy he was in love with by pretending to date one of his best friends... I'm a jerk. He deserves so much better. _A part of the blonde's mind, which sounded suspiciously like Rachel, began to protest pointing out that at least he hadn't attacked Kurt like Karofsky had and that there were bigger Neanderthals (definitely Rachel then) than him out there. She then reminded Sam of how crushed Kurt had been when the blonde had started dating Quinn, pointing out that it was because Kurt had been heartbroken. Because he loved or at the very least liked Sam and whether or not the brunette deserved better he had fallen for him and that he needed to do something about it. He smiled slightly at the frustrated tone the diva's voice had taken towards the end of her argument, briefly wondering if he was actually going mad if he was hearing his friend's voices in his head...

Meanwhile, Kurt was lost in his own thoughts that were along the lines of _His eyes are so amazing, I could just lose myself in them... no, Kurt focus! Remember you don't even know if he's gay or even bi yet! But he seems like he is, Brit thought so and so did Santana judging by her comment earlier, and Rachel's convinced we're soul mates... I like the sound of that... no, Kurt! He sees you as a friend! We've been through this, even if he is gay or bi, he probably isn't interested in you otherwise he'd have made his move by now! But would he really? After all he seems pretty scared of coming out if he is gay... And maybe he has tried to make his move before..._

Kurt's thoughts drifted back to the moments when he'd believed Sam had been about to kiss him. Of course he still wasn't completely certain if he was just imagining things or not but a (naive in his opinion) part of his mind refused to let the idea go, certain that the blonde was planning to and would have kissed him if they hadn't been interrupted... The brunette shook his head slightly, mind vainly attempting to make sense of the blonde's mixed signals, so far he wasn't having too much success as a part of his mind drifted to the thought of what the blonde's lips would feel like on his. Probably rough and chapped but yet, soft and gentle, and perfect and wonderful and _so _much better than his previous experiences. He quickly tried to push his thoughts of kissing the blonde to the back of his mind, not wanting to blush for what felt like the hundredth time that night in Sam's presence. He sighed internally when his efforts proved unsuccessful.

Sam found his gaze straying from Kurt's eyes to the faint flush on his cheeks, smiling a little at how adorable the brunette looked when he blushed. His gaze began to wonder once more, stopping at the brunette's lips and causing the blonde to blush slightly in turn when he found he couldn't tear his gaze away from them. He found himself unconsciously leaning towards the soprano, almost stopping himself when he saw the brunette's eyes widen, but his gaze once again drifted to his lips and it was like Sam was being pulled by some magnetic force towards them. He didn't even know what had caused it but he knew that he loved Kurt and he wanted to show him and hope that Rachel was right when she said he felt the same.

Meanwhile in Kurt's mind, his thoughts were racing. _Is he really doing what I think he is? But he's... he's gay, he must be. Or at least bi. Brit was right... I can't believe it. He's actually. Oh wow, he's still leaning forward. Well what do I do? It's not as if I've got a lot of kissing experience. What if I'm awful? What if he laughs or decides he's not interested or... but he's not that experienced either. He said his first kiss happened when he was drunk and then there's only been... Quinn. _Kurt froze as the name seemed to echo in his mind. _Sam's current girlfriend... I can't betray her like this. _A part of Kurt's mind screamed that the blonde had betrayed him but he ignored it, knowing deep down that it changed nothing when it came down to being the 'other man' in their relationship. He couldn't hurt her that way... after all, he knew how it felt to have the person you love chose someone else. _I can't do this..._ His heart broke at the realisation, desperately trying to hold back tears as he spoke shakily. "I can't do this."

The look on Sam's face almost shattered the brunette's resolve but then Quinn's face flashed through his mind and he forced himself to take a deep breath and turn from the broken gaze staring desperately after him as he stood up and began to leave. "I'm sorry I just... I can't." And with that, he bolted out of the room, barely acknowledging the almost smug look on Jenny's face as she watched him leave. He quickly pulled out his phone, dialling a number he now knew by heart. He almost smiled when he heard the speaker's cheery tone echo through the speakers trying to focus on the voice to stop him from falling apart. "Brit? You were right." He heard the blonde go silent as she heard the tone in his voice.

"Want to come over Kurtsie? You can help me hide my diary from Lord Tubbington... or we could just talk." The brunette smiled a half smile at the mention of Brittany's cat, taking a deep breath before beginning to walk towards the cheerio's house which, conveniently enough, was only about five minutes away from... _his_.

"Sure Brit, I'll be right over... thanks."

"No problem." The blonde's voice was gentle and understanding and, Kurt supposed, on some level she probably did understand better than anyone. Because she was probably feeling just as much pain as he was now... knowing that the one person you cared about more than anyone felt the same way and then not being able to be with them... it hurt _so much_ more than just assuming he was straight and not interested in him. He quickened his pace, desperate to reach Brittany's so she could take his mind off this pain.

HEY_I'M_BACK_EVERYONE_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEVANS_GLEE_SAM_KURT_HEAVANS_GLEE_HEVANS

Meanwhile, lying on his bed with tears freely streaming down his cheeks, a certain blonde allowed three words to repeat themselves almost mockingly in his mind. _They were wrong, they were wrong, they were wrong... SHUT UP! They were wrong, they were wrong... I SAID SHUT UP! He doesn't love you Sammy, he never will. He deserves better than you and he knows it. You screwed up your chances when you started dating Quinn... that is if you ever had any in the first place... JUST SHUT IT! But Sammy it's true. He doesn't want you. He _rejected _you. When are you gonna realise this Sammy? He. Doesn't. Love. You._

"SHUT UP!" The blonde's sobs grew more powerful as his mind continued to torment him, he didn't even notice that his mum had entered the room until he felt the telltale dip of the mattress beside him as the woman placed a gentle kiss to his forehead. For once, he didn't pull away from her, instead leaning towards her and letting his tears fall as she murmured to him that everything would be okay but he knew she was wrong. Nothing would be okay ever again... _He doesn't love you... and he never will._

**A/N: So... what do you think? Good, Bad, Okay? Let me know! I'd just like to say sorry once more for the incredibly long wait between updates! I know I said I'd post this chapter in July and I feel awful that I wasn't able to keep that promise... forgive me? *pulls out plate of Rachel's I'm sorry cookies* Please?**

**As a side note, one of the reasons that this was posted so late is that I was involved in the (eventually cancelled) Kummer Summer Challenge. Basically I had a time limit to finish what is the most writing I've ever written for a one shot... ever. And I was pretty determined to complete the challenge so unfortunately, this story took a backseat. The challenge was then called off because of the news of Chord's departure from the show... by this point though I'd finished the story it was just never posted as part of the challenge... which means I do have it written out, it's just never been posted. And I was wondering... would you lot be interested in reading it? It's called 'Love Through A Lens' (and it's almost 13,000 words long) and it's based around the idea of Sam finding a video camera and using it to film his summer... though the main subject of his footage seems to be a certain soprano. It's set in cannon!Glee verse (well basically season 1 and 2 of Glee are cannon- I know it's definitely **_**not **_**cannon for season 3 given some of the pairings in there... well my prompted said she liked random slash so...) so it's completely separate from the 'I Will Repay You' verse but it was a lot of fun to write and I'm actually quite proud of it so... if you want to read it, let me know (if I get enough people wanting to read then I'll post it on here, probably along with the next chapter of IWRY).**

**Finally, can I just say a huge thank you to anyone reading this story. I'm going to take the words of one of my inspirations (JK Rowling) and apply it here; 'No Story Lives Unless Someone Wants To Listen.' Thank you so much for listening to mine.**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**


End file.
